Erectile dysfunction

What is impotence?

Impotence denotes a general inability to satisfactorily perform sexual intercourse. Most non-professionals interpret it as referring to erectile dysfunction. It is only regarded as a chronic syndrome when the situation has continued for at least six months and at least 70% of attempts at sexual intercourse have been unsuccessful.

Regarding the frequency of impotence, there is no precise data, as the number of unrecorded cases is very high. Experts estimate that it affects around 10 % of men up to the age of 40 and around 30-50 % of those over 40. Only 10 % of cases are treated. It is estimated that around 3-4 million men in Germany suffer from impotence or have an erectile dysfunction.

According to estimates by the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 150 million men around the world are affected by impotence.