Some Causes and Features of Priapism
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Cause |
Common Features* |
Tests |
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Drugs for erectile dysfunction (such as alprostadil, papaverine, phentolamine, avanafil, sildenafil, tadalafil, or vardenafil) |
Painful priapism in men who took one of these drugs immediately before priapism started |
Only a doctor's examination |
|
Recreational drugs (such as amphetamines and cocaine) |
Painful priapism If amphetamines or cocaine is the cause, agitation and anxiety |
A doctor's examination Occasionally drug screening |
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Other drugs (such as anticoagulants, certain antidepressants, antihypertensive drugs, psychostimulants, antipsychotic drugs, corticosteroids, or lithium) |
Painful priapism in boys or men being treated for a disorder |
Only a doctor's examination |
|
Blood disorders (such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, sickle cell disease or trait, or thalassemia) |
In boys or young men, often of African or Mediterranean descent |
A complete blood count Blood tests to check for abnormal hemoglobin (hemoglobin electrophoresis) |
|
Prostate cancer that has spread to areas next to the prostate or any cancer that has spread to the genitals |
In men over 50 who have worsening symptoms indicating that the opening from the bladder into the urethra (bladder outlet) is blocked (such as a weak urine stream, difficulty starting urination, and dribbling at the end of urination) Sometimes blood in the urine |
Blood tests to measure the level of prostate-specific antigen CT or MRI |
|
Spinal cord disorders, such as narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal cord stenosis) or compression of the spinal cord |
Weakness or numbness in the legs Retention of urine or uncontrollable loss of urine or stool (urinary or fecal incontinence) |
MRI or CT of the spine |
|
Injury to an artery |
Mildly painful and slightly rigid priapism In men who have had a recent injury to the penis or groin area |
Duplex ultrasonography of the penis (ultrasonography that measures blood flow and shows structure of the blood vessels through which the blood is flowing) Angiography (x-rays of blood vessels) MRI |
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*Features include symptoms and the results of the doctor's examination. Features mentioned are typical but not always present. |
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CT = computed tomography; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging. |
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