Vascular aging-driven erectile dysfunction: pathophysiological mechanisms and emerging therapies-a narrative review
Abstract
Background and objective: Age-related erectile dysfunction (ED) is a significant health concern linked to vascular aging, characterized by endothelial dysfunction and vascular smooth muscle alterations. This study aimed to explores the pathophysiological mechanisms of age-related ED in elderly men, providing new directions for diagnosis and the development of novel targeted therapies.
Methods: This review focused on literature from 2000 to 2025 concerning vascular aging and ED. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase using keywords like "erectile dysfunction", "aging", "vascular endothelium", and "vascular smooth muscle". The selection process prioritized high-quality clinical and innovative preclinical studies in humans or animal models that explored pathophysiology or novel treatments. Exclusion criteria included duplicates, non-peer-reviewed articles, and off-topic studies.
Key content and findings: Key contributors to age-related ED include reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability due to endothelial oxidative stress and inflammation, diminished cavernosal smooth muscle content leading to impaired veno-occlusion, and increased arterial stiffness compounded by metabolic disorders. Chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, hormonal imbalances (particularly testosterone deficiency), and metabolic disruption accelerate these vascular aging processes, making ED an early indicator of systemic vascular pathology. Current treatment strategies mainly include…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Protective effects of tadalafil and N-acetyl cysteine therapy on cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity
- The Use of Generative AI for Scientific Literature Searches for Systematic Reviews: ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing AI Performance Evaluation
- Sildenafil as a Candidate Drug for Alzheimer’s Disease: Real-World Patient Data Observation and Mechanistic Observations from Patient-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons
- Ozone-modified properties of pumpkin seed oil as anti-H. pylori, anticancer, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity agent
- Effectiveness of Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Erectile Dysfunction: An Analysis of Sexual Function and Penile Hardness at Erection: An Umbrella Review
- Molecular Docking of Silymarin as a Ligand for Aromatase Enzyme and HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Using Molegro Virtual Docker
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.