[Update of pharmacotherapy for premature ejaculation].

Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common sexual dysfunction problems, which has significant adverse effects on the life quality of the patients. Behavioral therapies have been the mainstay of PE management for many years. However, there is inadequate evidence for their long-term benefit. There are currently no medications licensed specifically for the treatment of PE. Current " off-label" pharmacotherapeutic approaches include topical anesthetics, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors, all of which, however, fall short of the ideal therapy for PE. In the absence of a cure, the ideal treatment that researches aim at should be tolerable, effective from the first dose, rapid in onset of action, fast in elimination, and available as an oral medication. It is anticipated that agents being developed for the specific indication of PE will come closer to this ideal than the existing pharmacotherapeutic approaches.