Drugs that cause ED

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects fifty percent of men over the age of 40.  But sometimes your ED wounds can be self-inflicted. There are entire classes of drugs, commonly prescribed and taken, that can cause ED or make your existing performance issues worse.

Anti-psychotic drugs are used to treat mental disorders such as depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. First generation, or “typical,” anti-psychotics have a higher incidence of ED than second generation antipsychotics. The first generation or typical antipsychotics include chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, haloperidol, mesoridazine, thioridazine, thiothixene and trifluoperazine. Amongst the first generation antipsychotics, thioridazine is associated with the highest risk – up to 60 percent – of incidence reported.

Second generation, or “atypical,” anti-psychotics with erectile dysfunction side effects include clozapine, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, and risperidone. The highest risk of ED amongst the second generation anti-psychotics is associated with risperidone.

Anti-convulsants are the class of drugs used as long-term primary or supporting therapy for seizure treatment. Some of these anti-convulsants increase the activity of a liver enzyme, altering sex hormone metabolism. This may cause ED in patients.

Drugs take to alleviate high blood pressure are known as anti-hypertensives. These commonly cause erectile dysfunction. A study showed that the risk of ED in men treated for hypertension was significantly higher than the risk of ED in men with untreated hypertension.

Beta-blockers are commonly used to treat high blood pressure. Sexual dysfunction is more likely to be associated with lipid soluble beta-blockers such as propranolol. Sexual dysfunction has also been reported with ophthalmic timolol.

Centrally acting anti-hypertensive agents such as clonidine and methyldopa are associated with erectile dysfunction in up to 20 percent to 30 percent of patients. Studies suggest that methyldopa has the highest incidence of ED amongst centrally acting anti-hypertensives.

Spironolactone (Aldactone) is a potassium-sparing diuretic used for treating high blood pressure and it is associated with ED. The reported rate of ED is 4 percent to 30 percent in patients using spironolactone.

Thiazide diuretics are another class of drug used to treat high blood pressure and edema (fluid build up). Erectile dysfunction has been reported in 10 percent to 20 [ercent of patients taking this class of drugs. Loop diuretics such as furosemide or torsemide have a lower risk of ED.