Search

Sexual effects of medical conditions are commonly multifactorial, involving physiological mechanisms interacting with psychological processes. Thus, to an organic component directly caused by the disease or its treatments, it adds the psychological impact of the illness, namely the associated emotional disturbances and the changes in sexual autoconcept or in couple dynamic. Between chronic patients, the sexual dysfunctions (DS) occur most often in those who present major emotional disturbances, possibly due to the influence of the sexual problem in mood and self-esteem. The typical multifactorial character of DS in general is still more obvious in diabetic patients. Some of the disease directly related factors are Diabetes type and duration, serum HbA1C levels, co-morbid conditions and pharmacological treatment. From the extensive published literature, highlights an obvious dichotomy between the differential influence of organic and psychological factors. Although most of the studies focus on diabetic men erectile dysfunction (ED), the organic risk factors, the few investigations upon diabetic women underline the importance of psychological factors and psychiatric co-morbidity. Overall, there is a focus on the genitality, disregarding the search of other kinds of sexual pleasure. Authors present a brief review about literature published on this theme, pointing out results dissimilarity and differential correlation between related factors associated with DS in diabetics from both sexes.