Premature Ejaculation and Impotence

Though both premature ejaculation (ED) and impotence are associated with penile conditions and most men suffer from either or both these conditions at some point in their lives, they are different are hence, require different modes of treatment. According to medical jargon, premature ejaculation is a condition wherein a male ejaculates within three minutes of beginning a sexual intercourse, though men with severe conditions often ejaculate even before penetration resulting to frustration and dissatisfaction in both partners. However, there is no precise measure to define premature ejaculation and is depends on the satisfaction of the man and his partner in sex activities.

On the other hand, impotence is often referred to erectile dysfunction or a male’s inability to continuously get an erection and even if they get one, they are unable to hold it for long for satisfactory sexual intercourse. Unlike in the case of premature ejaculation, regardless or a man’s ability to ejaculate, those suffering from impotence or erectile dysfunction are never able to have satisfactory sexual intercourse as they cannot get a penile erection. Actually, even healthy persons may suffer from impotence as the stimuli for penile erection triggered in the brain does not flow to the penile area. Nevertheless, impotence or erectile dysfunction is reversible and Viagra is known to be most effective medication to treat this condition.

Unfortunately, till the launch of Priligy, a drug belonging to the class of selective serotonin inhibitor (SSI) and initially introduced to treat depression, in 2008 there was no specific premature ejaculation treatment. Till then, premature ejaculation treatment mostly included behavioral therapy, exercises, techniques such as ‘start and stop’ methods or the off label’ use of some antidepressants, some having serious side effects. However, soon after it was established that Priligy was not only effective for depression, but also curing premature ejaculation, the drug was approved by as many as seven European nations for premature ejaculation treatment. Presently, the FDA is reviewing an application for approval of Dapoextine (the brand name of Priligy in the United States as well as the main active ingredient in Priligy) for premature ejaculation treatment.

The tremendous sale of Priligy in Europe is evidence of the medication’s effectiveness in premature ejaculation treatment. It is expected that soon men suffering from premature ejaculation in the US too would be able to obtain Dapoextine and enjoy the pleasures of sex, besides alleviating their depressions and frustrations for not being able to stay longer in bed. Although Priligy is also a SSI, unlike other drugs in this class, it has a very short half-life of one to three hours. This means that men may take Priligy just one to three hours before the anticipated sexual activity and do not have to continue taking the medication regularly.