The Facts
Erectile difficulty is the frequent or consistent inability to get or sustain an erection of the penis sufficient to engage in sexual intercourse. While most men occasionally fail to get an erection, or lose one prematurely during sexual activity, some men suffer from these problems regularly.
Accurate statistics are lacking on how many men are affected by the condition, but some doctors estimate that about half of men aged 40 to 70 have frequent problems achieving or maintaining an erection. The number of men with erectile difficulties is low for those under the age of 40, but it increases with age.