Prescribing patterns and costs associated with erectile dysfunction drugs in England: a time trend analysis.

The two-fold increase in the rate of primary care prescriptions in the past 10 years suggests that more men are being screened for, or seeking help for, ED. The higher rate of prescribing offers opportunity for monitoring of linked risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, and vascular disorders, in deprived populations. Reclassification of sildenafil had a modest impact on prescribing practices.