Men's Health: What is impotence?

A man who cannot develop or sustain an erection to perform satisfactory sexual intercourse is termed 'impotent'. Unfortunately, this term has serious social consequences and should be used with caution and after due consideration of the complex process of male sexual function.

Besides the inability to sustain erection other factors like loss of desire or libido, inability to ejaculate at the right time, difficulty in achieving orgasms, all coexist in some individuals and contribute to the patient's loss of confidence and inadequacy. Erectile dysfunction occurs in 5% of all males above 40 years of age and this percentage increases with advancing age.