Erectile dysfunction among male patients diagnosed with schizophrenia being treated with antipsychotic medication, and the impact on quality of life

Abstract

IntroductionErectile dysfunction is a distressing side effect of antipsychotics, which leads to poor medication compliance and poor quality of life. There is a scarcity of studies on antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction in Sri Lanka. We assessed the prevalence of erectile dysfunction among patients with schizophrenia who have been prescribed antipsychotic medication. MethodsA cross sectional, descriptive study was conducted among patients attending the outpatient clinics of Colombo North Teaching Hospital and National Hospital, Sri Lanka. The five item International Index for Erectile Dysfunction, Erection Hardness Score and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Scale were used to assess erectile dysfunction and quality of life. ResultsOf the 102 patients in the study, 80 (79%) were found to have erectile dysfunction. The largest proportion of erectile dysfunction was seen in patients who were prescribed clozapine (87.9%), followed by risperidone (82.1%), olanzapine (73.9%) and fluphenazine (68.8%). There was no significant correlation between erectile dysfunction and quality of life. None of the patients had initiated a discussion about sexual side effects, while only 8.3% reported that their psychiatrist had inquired about the sexual dysfunction. ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that sexual dysfunction is a common but often overlooked phenomenon among patients with schizophrenia. This study highlights the need for Sri Lankan psychiatrists to explore sexual problems in this cohort of patients.

Keywords

• sexual dysfunction, schizophrenia, antipsychotic medication