Premature ejaculation: current and evolving treatments

Despite having been recognised and documented for over 300 years, there have been shockingly few treatments developed for premature ejaculation (PE). Once viewed as the result of psychoanalytical internal conflicts and treated primarily via behavioural therapies, the focus of PE treatment since the 1990s particularly has shifted towards pharmacological intervention. Prior to 2009, off-label drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), opioids and topical anaesthetics were the treatments of choice. Dapoxetine, the first licensed drug for PE, entered the market in 2009 and has since triggered great interest in the field. New research on PE prevalence has revealed that 2.3% to as high as 82.6% of some male populations are stricken with PE. This newly realised market has prompted researchers to explore many novel techniques, drugs and surgeries to combat PE. This review aims to describe and compare the various old, new and evolving therapies used for patients with premature ejaculation and discuss how these therapies may reduce the anxiety and depression that often co-occur with PE