What is the Origin of Vasculogenic Erectile Dysfunction?

The term is a compound of 'vasculo-' (relating to blood vessels), '-genic' (originating from), and 'erectile dysfunction' (inability to achieve or sustain an erection). The clinical understanding of ED shifted significantly when it was recognized that vascular health, rather than purely psychological factors, was the predominant underlying cause in many men, particularly those with metabolic or cardiovascular risk factors.

What is the Mechanism of Vasculogenic Erectile Dysfunction?

The erectile process requires a cascade of neurological and vascular events, beginning with nitric oxide release that relaxes the smooth muscle of the penile arteries and trabeculae. In vasculogenic ED, damage to the endothelium, often due to atherosclerosis or hypertension, impairs nitric oxide production, reducing arterial inflow and cavernous smooth muscle relaxation. In cases of veno-occlusive dysfunction, the corporal veno-occlusive mechanism fails to trap blood effectively, preventing the necessary rigidity for coitus.

Vasculogenic Erectile Dysfunction

Meaning

Vasculogenic erectile dysfunction is a common form of male sexual dysfunction where the inability to achieve or maintain a penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance is primarily caused by an underlying vascular problem. This condition results from insufficient blood flow into the penile corpora cavernosa, known as arterial insufficiency, or excessive blood flow out of the penis, known as veno-occlusive dysfunction. It is often a harbinger of more widespread systemic vascular disease.