性功能障礙和攝護腺疾病都是老年人常見的問題，而且會對生活品質有顯著的影響， 因此越來越受到大家的重視。根據多項研究發現，即使將一些像是年齡和其他疾病的相 關因子排除，性功能障礙在攝護腺增生病人發生的比例還是比沒有攝護腺增生病人高出 很多。而這到底是因為這兩種疾病有個相同的根本原因，還是因為攝護腺增生症狀的困 擾而影響到性功能，還需要進一步的研究。此外,攝護腺增生的治療也有可能影響性功 能。手術治療可能會對性功能有永久性的傷害，使用finasteride的藥物可能會使3%-16% 的病人有勃起功能障礙，而另一類的藥物（alpha類阻斷劑）對勃起功能影響較小。因此 攝護腺增生的治療必需要將治療可能導致的傷害考慮在内》雖然有研究指出攝護腺癌 病人會有較差的性功能,但事實上兩者之間的關係還不清楚，不過勃起功能障礙是早期 攝護腺癌治療常見的後遺症，根據統計，有16%-82%的病人在接受根除性攝護腺切除術 後產生勃起功能障礙,而接受體外放射線治療和體内放射線治療造成勃起功能障礙的比 例分別為6%*84%和0%~51%。攝護腺發炎和攝護腺疼痛是個讓人困擾的問題，主要影響 的病人年齡層較攝護腺增生年齡低，大部份這類病人勃起功能正常，主要問題是射精疼痛。

The relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and prostatic diseases has attracted increased attention recently because both entities are increasingly prevalent, are frequently coassociated in the same aging male group, and contribute significantly to the overall quality of life. ED is much more prevalent in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) than in men without BPH, even after controlling for confounding variables such as age and comorbidities. However, it remains to be elucidated whether this is because of a common underlying pathology or whether the considerable bother associated with BPH leads to reduced erectile function. In addition, some treatments for BPH may affect erectile function. Surgical intervention may have irreversible consequences on erectile function. Medical treatment of BPH with finasteride may be associated with ED (3%~16%). However, alpha-blockade is not associated with this side effect. The beneficial effects of treatments for BPH have to be balanced against the morbidities associated with the treatments. The correlation between prostate cancer and ED is not clear although prostate cancer patients are more likely to report low frequency and/or intensity in all aspects of sexual function. However, ED is a common sequela following potentially curative local treatment for early-stage prostate cancer. The rates of ED in men following a radical prostatectomy were reported to be 16%-82%. Rates of ED vary from 6% to 84% after external beam radiotherapy and from 0% to 51% after brachytherapy. Prostatitis or prostatodynla remains a confusing disease, which affects men mainly at ages before BPH occurs. Most patients are potent, and the disorders in sexual function are related to painful ejaculation.