Endothelial dysfunction, erectile dysfunction and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. An update of the current data and future perspectives.

Endothelial dysfunction is a pathological entity that multiply affects the health status. Erectile dysfunction is being recognized as a condition that is strongly interrelated with endothelial dysfunction, being a vascular event itself. Oral pharmacotherapy for erectile dysfunction has provided us with a new armamentarium on this condition. Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors have been investigated and proved useful in clinical practice for erectile dysfunction but in addition to this, the results seem promising of a beneficial effect on endothelial dysfunction, as well.