[Sildenafil (Viagra) for the treatment of erectile disorder].

Erectile dysfunction is a common but underreported condition. It is to be expected that the number of patients consulting their physician with the complaint of erectile dysfunction will increase considerably with the introduction of sildenafil (Viagra), the first oral drug that enhances penile erection. Sildenafil is an inhibitor of the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5. It causes erection of the penis by allowing the relaxation of the smooth musculature of the cavernous body to persist. The first clinical results indicate that the treatment with sildenafil is safe and effective in the hands of a sexologically qualified physician. An erection disorder is essentially not more than a symptom which primarily requires causal therapy.