Premature ejaculation: the scope of the problem.

Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common male sexual dysfunctions. Successful treatment of PE has been hampered by the existence of a variety of definitions and diagnostic criteria and the lack of large, long-term studies of treatment efficacy. Numerous, diverse treatment approaches with varying degrees of efficacy have been used; these include behavioral, cognitive, and sex therapy techniques, and pharmacologic management with anti-depressants, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and topical anesthetics. The approach most likely to provide success is a combination of cognitive and sex therapy with a pharmacologic agent of proven efficacy that has an easy-to-follow dosing regimen.