Priapism is a persistent erection that cannot be relieved by sexual intercourse or masturbation. The condition must be considered a urologic emergency. It may be idiopathic (50%), drug induced (30%), or the result of pathologic conditions such as
leukemia, trauma, neoplastic disease, or sickle-cell anemia. Recently, the incidence of drug-induced priapism has increased because it can be a complication of the intracavernosal injection of vasoactive drugs, the most useful useful treatment
for
impotence.
Cases of priapism attributable to antipsychotic durgs also are increasing, but this subject has been discussed extensively, and urologists are not familiar with drugs. With the aid of MEDLINE, we reviewed the literature on chemically induced
priapism
published during last 20 years. The drugs most frequently implicated were psychotropic agents(trazodone, neuroleptics) and antihypertensives(prazosin). Awareness of the association of priapism with psychotropic drugs and of the potentially
serious
consequences of priapism may assist clinicians in choosing drugs that minimize the risk of this complication. Patients who receive psychotropic medications should be notified fo the possibility of priapism, and men presenting with priapism should
be
questioned their use of these drugs.
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