Erectile dysfunction is a common medical problem affecting approximately 15% of men each year. Over 150 million men worldwide were estimated to have been affected by erectile dysfunction in 1995, and this is projected to rise to 320 million by 2025. Severe erectile dysfunction is an independent predictor of poor quality of life and not an indicator for comorbid diseases. Erectile dysfunction may have a physiological or psychological basis, but the most common cause is thought to be related to vascular abnormalities of the penile blood supply and erectile tissue often associated with cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors.

Revitalife Compounding Pharmacy offers sterile compounded preparations for Erectile Dysfunction (ED) containing Alprostadil (Prostaglandin E1) – a potent hormone-like substance that induces erection by relaxing penile blood vessels and dilating cavernosal arteries. Dilation of the cavernosal arteries is accompanied by increased arterial inflow velocity and increased venous outflow resistance allowing for more blood into and less blood out of the penis.

Prostaglandin E1 is prescribed as a second-line treatment, after oral PDE5 inhibitors have been ineffective for treatment of erectile dysfunction. It is administered intracavernosally to isolate the effect to the penile tissues. Several aspects of its effects and clinical use have been reviewed previously. Currently, the body of medical literature demonstrates that 40 to 70% of erectile dysfunction patients patients respond to treatment with prostaglandin E1.

Compounded preparations for ED can also be used for diagnostic purposes such as doppler sonography of the penis. The intracorporeal injection of PGE1 produced a greater vasoactive response in the cavernosal artery than did intraurethral instillation.