Erectile Dysfunction Linked to NSAID Use

A class of commonly prescribed arthritis drugs known as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), have been linked to an increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction in middle-aged and elderly men. NSAIDs are also prescribed for other inflammatory and painful conditions other than arthritis.

In the May 2006 Journal of Urology, researchers reported that the incidence of erectile dysfunction was:

• 93 cases per 1,000 person-years (the sum total of the length of time each person was exposed, observed, or at risk) in men who used NSAIDS
• 35 cases per 1,000 person-years in men who did not use NSAIDs

Among men with arthritis, the erectile dysfunction incidence was:

• 97 cases per 1,000 person-years in men using NSAIDs
• 52 cases per 1,000 person-years in men who did not use NSAIDs

Researchers concluded that the use of NSAIDs increased the risk of erectile dysfunction whether the drugs were prescribed to treat arthritis or a condition other than arthritis.

• The Facts of NSAIDs
• Inflammation: Test Your Knowledge
• Arthritis and Sexuality
• Sex and Arthritis
• Erectile Dysfunction - Prevalence and Risk Factors in the U.S.

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