Free Health Dissertations - Erectile Dysfunction In Diabetes An Essay Introduction Diabetes Mellitus Is
Erectile dysfunction in diabetes
An essay
Introduction
Diabetes Mellitus is not a rare condition. The British Diabetic Association tells us that it affects about 2% of the UK population and within that 2% , some groups are affected more than others. The Asian community in the UK have a particularly high incidence. This factor may well have a genetic component but equally may be a reflection of their typically high fat diet. (Nathan 1998)
Genetic factors certainly do play a part in the aetiology of Diabetes Mellitus. A relative with the disease will increase your own chances of contracting it and the closer the relationship, the higher the chance. This is particularly true of Type I diabetes mellitus. Type II diabetes mellitus also has a genetic like but other factors such as increasing age and BMI are also found to be independently relevant factors (Gregg et al. 2003). In the UK, Diabetes Mellitus is ranked as one of the commonest childhood illnesses (except for trivia) with about 20 children per 100,000 being diagnosed each year with the condition (Devasenan Devendra 2004)
Diabetes Mellitus is known to be associated with a number of complications. As a general rule the incidence of complications increases with time. It is also thought to be associated with the degree of control of the Diabetes Mellitus, the better the control the lower the incidence of complications. (Kissebah et al. 1989)
It is said that about 9% of the total NHS budget will be spent on Diabetes Mellitus and its related issues. Its complications will account for about half this sum (Newrick 2000)
In specific relevance to our essay title there are two major complications which link Diabetes Mellitus with erectile dysfunction and they are cardio-(macro)vascular disease and neuropathy. (Wagner et al. 1998)
Neuropathy is typically a late onset complication of the diabetic state. It is found in about 2.4% of the general population. It is also primarily age related and the incidence rises to 8% in the elderly diabetic patient. ( Hughes 2002)
Erectile dysfunction currently occurs in 10-15% of men but there is a distinct variance with age. 40% of men at 40 yrs. report some degree of erectile dysfunction and 70% at the age of 70 yrs. (Gregoire 1999)
Bowering (2001) points out the fact that other factors can also affect the eventual incidence of the cardiovascular complications of Diabetes Mellitus such as blood pressure and smoking. Both of these factors are known to be positively and independently associated with erectile dysfunction so it is not surprising for them to be found in relation to Diabetes Mellitus. Some of the most recent research shows that, as far as Type I diabetes mellitus is concerned, a reduction in HbA1 by 10% will reduce cardiovascular complications (both micro- and macro-vascular) by a factor of between 34-76%.
Dissertations - Free Health Dissertations
