Presence of depression in diabetic patients is the most important factor leading to erectile dysfunction in them.

Depression instigates erectile dysfunction and erectile dysfunction perpetuates the symptoms of depression.

Diabetic patients who complained of erectile dysfunction in the study also had higher prevalence of high blood pressure and cholesterol abnormalities. These patients were also of older age with uncontrolled diabetes, history of smoking and longer duration of diabetes. It was also shown that patients who develop erectile dysfunction also had eye disorders, neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease.

Effective control of diabetes may reduce both depressive symptoms and erectile dysfunctions in such cases.

India is the diabetic capital of the world and both the incidence and prevalence of diabetes are increasing day by day. It is, therefore, important for the family physician to look for presence of depression in patients with diabetes.