Drugs Linked to Erectile Dysfunction

If you are having problems achieving or maintaining an erection you may want to take a look at your medicine cabinet. There are a number of prescription and over-the-counter drugs that may cause erectile dysfunction. While these medications may treat a disease or condition, in doing so they can affect a man's hormones, nerves, or blood circulation, resulting in ED or increase the risk of ED.

Examples of medicines that may cause ED are listed below. The list of possible offenders is long, however, so check with your doctor about all medications you are taking to rule out any as a cause of, or contributor to, your ED.

If you experience ED and think that it may be a result of medication you are taking, do not stop taking the medication without first consulting your doctor. If the problem persists, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different medication.

Other substances or drugs that can cause or lead to ED include recreational and frequently abused drugs, such as:

• Alcohol
• Amphetamines
• Barbiturates
• Cocaine
• Marijuana
• Methadone
• Nicotine
• Opiates

Aside from the well-known complications that the use and abuse of these drugs can cause, ED is not often mentioned. However, use of these drugs can cause ED. These drugs not only affect and often times suppress the central nervous system, but can also cause serious damage to the blood vessels, resulting in permanent ED.

Reviewed by the doctors at the Glickman Urological Institute at The Cleveland Clinic.