Diabetes and erectile dysfunction

  Recently, I received several invitations for consultations from the endocrinology department, all with the same purpose: erectile dysfunction. So, my opinion on this issue has increased a lot. In fact, many patients seen in the outpatient clinic, when consulted for sexual dysfunction, especially erectile dysfunction, were examined and found to have numerous patients with diabetes. And among the patients with diabetes, the patients who developed erectile dysfunction were significantly higher than the non-diabetic patients.  Erectile dysfunction caused by diabetes is the result of a combination of multiple factors.  Common causes: 1. Diabetic autonomic neuropathy The erection process is a parasympathetic nerve-mediated diastolic filling response of the cavernous arteries. Diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy, almost 100% of the occurrence of ED. 2, vascular factors Vascular factors play a very important role in the pathogenic factors of ED. Internal iliac artery or pubic artery atheromatous plaque formation can reduce blood flow, the structure or function of small arteries and sinusoidal gap endothelial cells in the sea surface body damage, producing a reduction in vasoactive substances and the venous system backflow can affect erectile function.  3, blood sugar factors poor blood sugar control and (or) chronic comorbidities of diabetes caused by physical decline or dysfunction of tissues and organs can cause decreased libido and ED. 4, depression and anxiety because of disease or other reasons caused by depression or anxiety and other psychological ED is not uncommon in patients with diabetes.  5, other factors diabetes itself, age and (or) certain drugs can lead to hypogonadism and ED. in addition, bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs), certain drugs (antihypertensive drugs, antidepressants, antipsychotics, digitalis and cimetidine, etc.) and spinal cord injury are causative factors that trigger ED.  The treatment of erectile dysfunction, according to the treatment guidelines, is generally divided into three lines of treatment: first, drug therapy, mainly sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil; second, vacuum negative pressure suction or penile cavernous body drug injection; third, prosthetic implants. I do advocate adding a Chinese medicine treatment on top of the drug treatment.  The main focus is to improve the elasticity of blood vessels and neuropathy. It may not achieve the immediate results of western drugs such as sildenafil in some data comparisons, but it has obvious benefits for long-term quality of life improvement.    The following points are advocated for treatment: i. Aggressive control of blood sugar.  Second, increase the blood-vitalizing and vasodilating herbal treatment.  Third, improve the immune function of the body.  Fourth, the flow of qi and blood should be smooth. Non-pharmacological questioning therapy is involved, and comprehensive treatment is carried out.  Five, behavior therapy.  Six, the emergence of symptoms, early access to hospital treatment.