Profiling Characteristics of Men Who Use Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors Based on Obtaining Patterns: Data from the Nationwide Japanese Population

Abstract

Introduction Worldwide, certain subsets of men bypass healthcare provider (HCP) interactions and obtain phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) from uncontrolled sources. Aim To stratify men who are PDE5i users based on their obtaining patterns and investigate the characteristics that differentiate these groups. Methods A Web-based observational study conducted between March and June 2009 in Japan. Main Outcome Measures We stratified the reported obtaining patterns into three categories: men who had a prescription for PDE5is from HCP, those who obtained PDE5is from friends, and those who purchased PDE5is via the Internet. Logistic regressions were conducted to determine independent predictors for each obtaining patterns. Erection function was evaluated by erection hardness score (EHS). Results Of 7,710 total recruited subjects, 1,144 men (14.8%) reported PDE5i use within the past year. Among 1,144 men, 625 men (54.6%) were prescribed PDE5i from HCP, whereas 267 men (23.4%) obtained PDE5i from friends and 252 men (22.0%) purchased PDE5i via the Internet. In a multivariable regression analyses, men being prescribed PDE5i from HCP were more likely to live in a northern area of Japan (OR 0.98), have a lower rate of smoking (OR 0.77), and have an awareness of ED (OR 3.04). In contrast, men who obtained PDE5i from friends were more likely to live in a southern area (OR 1.02), to have higher rate of alcohol intake and smoking (OR 1.20, OR 1.45), and lower awareness of ED (OR 0.39). Men purchasing PDE5i via the Internet were more likely to consider themselves to be in worse health (OR 0.85) and to have lower awareness of ED (OR 0.62). Conclusions Our results could help to identify men who may bypass HCP interactions. These findings could aid in the targeting of public service announcements designed to encourage men to avoid obtaining uncontrolled PDE5i and consult with HCPs to protect their health.

Study of the prevalence and patterns of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor use among sexually active Egyptian males: A National Cross‐sectional Survey

“…Further, our study revealed that there were more smokers in the users’ group than in the nonusers’ group. This is in agreement with Kimura et al () who reported that PDE5Is users were smokers more than the non‐users. Notably, our study revealed that the ex‐smokers were less likely to use PDE5Is which could be related to improved erectile function after stopping smoking.…”

“…The similarity in the rates of PDE5I use in these studies may be related to the similar geographical distribution and similar cultures in Arabic countries. On the other hand, the rate of PDE5I use reported in our study was much higher than that reported by non‐Arabic countries (UK, United States, Germany, Italy and Japan) (Harte & Meston, ; Kimura et al, ; Musacchio, Hartrich, & Garofalo, ; Schnetzler, Banks, Kirby, Zou, & Symonds, ).…”

“…This could be related to the cheaper price of sildenafil products in the Egyptian market compared to vardenafil and tadalafil products. We found that 88% of PDE5I users in our study received them without prior healthcare professional (HCP) consultation (physician or pharmacist) and this rate is considered high when compared to Schnetzler et al () and Kimura et al () who found that the users without HCP were 32.3% and 45.4% respectively. The higher rate of bypassing HCP interaction to obtain PDE5Is seems to be related to embarrassment to speak to a physician and the differences between Egypt and other countries in regulation of purchasing such drugs without HCP interaction.…”

“…This difference could be explained by the fact that Schnetzler et al () and Kimura et al () asked the participants in their studies about PDE5I use within the past 6 months and 1 year, respectively, but in our study we asked the participants about PDE5I use at any time before. Further, Harte and Meston () and Musacchio et al () recruited younger ages than ours.…”

Recreational Use of Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors and Its Associated Factors Among Undergraduate Male Students In An Ethiopian University: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Many population-based studies have reported the recreational use of PDE5 inhibitors among young men aged 18 to 44 years [4,5,11,14]. Indeed, these drugs are approved for treating ED patients, but young healthy men may wish to use them to enhance their sexual performance.…”