1. ¹Northeast Indiana Urology, Fort Wayne, IN, USA
2. ²New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
3. ³University Urological Associates, New York, NY, USA
4. ⁴Pfizer Inc., New York, NY, USA

Correspondence: Dr CP Steidle, Northeast Indiana Urology, 2512 East DuPont Road, Suite 100, Fort Wayne, IN 46825, USA. E-mail: csteidle@northeastindianaresearch.com

Received 27 January 2006; Revised 12 May 2006; Accepted 16 June 2006; Published online 20 July 2006.

Abstract

We investigated the effect of early sildenafil dose optimization and personalized instructions on sexual intercourse success in 1109 men beginning sildenafil therapy for erectile dysfunction. In phase 1 (4 weeks), patients followed the instructions contained in the sildenafil (50 mg) sample pack and had 1.4 sexual intercourse attempts per week with 82% success. Patients (17%) had a second intercourse attempt (80% successful): 58% occurred within 4 h, 20% within 5–8 h, and 22% within 9–24 h of the first attempt. In phase 2 (4 weeks), sildenafil was adjusted as needed (53% to 100 mg, and 2% to 25 mg), and investigators provided personalized instructions to facilitate patient success. Sexual intercourse attempts increased to 1.7 per week, with 91% success, and 18% were followed by a second attempt, of which 91% were successful. Most patients requested the 100-mg dose, which helped improve sexual intercourse frequency, flexibility and success.