A Review of Pathophysiology and Management Options for Delayed Ejaculation.

INTRODUCTION

Delayed ejaculation (DE) is a poorly defined disorder that entails the delay or absence of orgasm that results in personal distress. Numerous causes of DE exist, and management must be tailored to the specific etiology to maximize treatment success. Management strategies include psychological and sexual therapy, pharmacotherapy, and penile vibratory stimulation.

AIM: This article intends to review the pathophysiology and treatment options for DE discussed in the literature to date.

METHODS

A review of the literature was performed to identify and evaluate the existing data on treatment success for the various forms of DE management.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Each treatment option was evaluated for method of administration, data supporting its success for DE, and potential risks or side effects.

RESULTS

Different psychosexual therapy strategies have been described for DE but with limited data to describe efficacy. There is no medication for DE approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The quality of evidence supporting the off-label use of medications for DE is low. However, there are numerous medications reported in the literature suggested to treat the condition. Cabergoline and bupropion are the two most commonly used. In addition, penile vibratory stimulation has been described as an adjunct treatment option for DE.

CONCLUSION

There are different treatment options reported for DE, all with limited evidence supporting their efficacy. Identifying the etiology of the DE is important to appropriately target therapy. A multimodal approach combining psychosexual therapy with medications and/or penile vibratory stimulation will likely provide the best outcomes.