Many medicines and health problems can cause erection problems, and each one people ask about is answered below. The whole picture — every cause, how a GP works out which one is yours, and treatment — is in our guide to erectile dysfunction: causes, symptoms and treatment, and in short in what causes impotence and erectile dysfunction in men? For each medicine, "listed" means its Australian consumer medicine information (CMI) names erection or sexual problems among the side effects; "not listed" means it does not.

Can blood-pressure medicines cause erectile dysfunction?

Some can, and the Australian leaflets differ from one medicine to the next. healthdirect counts "some medicines used to treat high blood pressure" among the causes of ED (healthdirect), and Australian Prescriber names diuretics and alpha- and beta-blockers among the medicines linked with it (Australian Prescriber). Never stop a blood-pressure tablet, or any medicine on this page, on your own: talk to your doctor before changing it. What a GP looks at is the timeline between starting the medicine and the start of the problems (Australian Prescriber).

MedicineWhat the Australian leaflet saysThe question
Losartan (an angiotensin II receptor antagonist)Listed: "an inability to get or maintain an erection" is among its common side effects (Cozavan CMI, June 2025)Does losartan cause erectile dysfunction?
Telmisartan (an angiotensin II receptor blocker)Not listed on its own (Micardis CMI, May 2025); the combination with hydrochlorothiazide lists "impotence" (Micardis Plus CMI, November 2024)Can telmisartan cause erectile dysfunction?
Hydrochlorothiazide (a diuretic, or fluid tablet)Listed in the telmisartan combination above; diuretics are on Australian Prescriber's listIs ED a side effect of hydrochlorothiazide?
Amlodipine (a calcium channel blocker)Listed: "sexual problems", among side effects that "may or may not be due to" it (Nordip CMI, October 2024)Can amlodipine cause erectile dysfunction?
Metoprolol (a beta-blocker)Listed: "problems with sexual function", among the rare, serious side effects to report to your doctor straight away (Minax and Toprol-XL CMIs, 2024)Can metoprolol cause ED?

Beta-blockers as a group are on Australian Prescriber's list: do beta-blockers cause erectile dysfunction? The general question — can high blood pressure medication cause ED? — has the same answer: some can, so the leaflet of the tablet you take is what counts. Whether an ED tablet can be taken alongside them is a separate question: can Viagra be taken with amlodipine and other blood-pressure medicines?

Can gabapentin or ADHD stimulants cause erectile dysfunction?

Uncommonly. The consumer leaflet for Neurontin does not list erection problems, but the prescriber's information does. Gabapentin (Neurontin) "belongs to a group of medicines called anticonvulsants" and is used for epilepsy and nerve pain (Neurontin CMI, September 2026). In the epilepsy trials, impotence was reported by 1.5% of people taking gabapentin and 1.1% taking a placebo (Neurontin product information); anticonvulsants are among the medicines Australian Prescriber links with ED. The drawn question: does gabapentin cause erectile dysfunction or impotence?

Stimulant ADHD medicines can. The Australian leaflet for Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), a central nervous system stimulant that the body converts to dexamphetamine, lists "decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction" among its less serious side effects (Vyvanse CMI, April 2026). Adderall, an amphetamine-based ADHD medicine, is the one asked about: can Adderall cause erectile dysfunction, and how is it fixed? The other medicine groups on Australian Prescriber's list are in the questions below.

Can blood thinners, antihistamines, statins or ibuprofen cause erectile dysfunction?

None of these is among the medicine groups Australian Prescriber links with ED, and their Australian leaflets do not list erection problems — with one caveat for cholesterol medicines.

Can antidepressants such as Zoloft cause erectile dysfunction?

Yes — sexual problems are a known side effect of antidepressants. healthdirect lists "sexual problems, such as a low sex drive" among their side effects, notes that side effects differ between antidepressant medicines and classes, and that some improve as the body gets used to the medicine or with a change of dose; it also warns against stopping an antidepressant suddenly (healthdirect). The Australian sertraline leaflet lists "sexual dysfunction including impaired sexual function in males" and says that "in some cases, these symptoms have continued after stopping treatment" (Zoloft consumer medicine information, June 2026): can Zoloft or sertraline cause permanent erectile dysfunction? Bupropion is asked about both ways: does Wellbutrin (bupropion) cause or treat ED?

Depression and anxiety are causes in their own right (healthdirect): can anxiety cause erectile dysfunction? and can stress cause ED? Taking an ED tablet alongside an antidepressant: Viagra with antidepressants and anxiety medication.

Can poor circulation, high cholesterol or high blood pressure cause erectile dysfunction?

Yes — reduced blood flow is one of the main physical causes. healthdirect names "reduced blood flow to the penis, caused by atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries)", and lists high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease among the chronic conditions that contribute (healthdirect). Peripheral vascular disease, which blocks blood flow and can cause leg pain and cold lower legs or feet, has erectile dysfunction among its complications (healthdirect): can poor blood circulation in the legs cause ED? The same process answers can clogged arteries cause erectile dysfunction?, does high cholesterol cause ED? and can high blood pressure cause erectile dysfunction?

That is why ED can be an early warning. The mechanisms that control blood flow in the penis control it throughout the body, so erectile dysfunction is often a sign of cardiovascular disease, and men with it are at higher than normal risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and death (Healthy Male): is there a link between ED and heart disease? Low blood pressure is not among the causes these sources name, though a medicine that lowers blood pressure can be (above): can low blood pressure cause ED?

Can a pinched sciatic nerve or a back injury cause erectile dysfunction?

Nerve problems are a recognised cause, and some back symptoms need care the same day. healthdirect names health problems that affect the nerves, such as spinal cord injury, and Australian Prescriber adds spinal cord and peripheral nerve disorders. Sciatica is pain that starts in the back and goes down the leg when something presses on the sciatic nerve or its roots, and most of the time it is not caused by anything serious — but "if you have problems controlling your bladder or bowels or if you have numbness in your genital or anal area, seek medical care right away" (healthdirect). Can sciatic nerve pinching cause erectile dysfunction? and can back problems or injuries cause ED?

Can prostatitis, urinary problems or tamsulosin cause erectile dysfunction?

Prostate problems can. healthdirect lists prostate disease, and treatment for prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate, among the causes of ED. Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate that can make weeing or ejaculating painful; prostate problems can also lead to repeated urine infections (UTIs) through incomplete bladder emptying, and "sexual or erectile problems can also occur" (healthdirect). Can prostatitis cause erectile dysfunction? and can urinary tract infections or problems cause ED? Healthy Male reports that 85% of men who have had prostate cancer have erectile dysfunction: prostate cancer and impotence.

Tamsulosin affects ejaculation rather than erections, going by its leaflet. The Australian Flomaxtra leaflet lists "retrograde ejaculation" — semen running back into the bladder instead of out, which is painless — and, "extremely rarely", a prolonged painful erection that needs a doctor or emergency department; erectile dysfunction is not listed (Flomaxtra CMI, July 2021): can tamsulosin or Flomax cause ED? It is an alpha-blocker, a group on Australian Prescriber's list; a related prostate medicine is asked about the other way round: does alfuzosin help with erectile dysfunction?

Can testosterone or thyroid problems cause erectile dysfunction?

Low testosterone and an underactive thyroid can; high testosterone is not among the causes the Australian sources name. healthdirect lists hypogonadism, "where the testicles cannot make enough testosterone", and hormonal problems including an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), and says low testosterone can cause "problems getting and keeping erections" (healthdirect). When a hormone problem is suspected, testosterone is measured on a blood sample taken before 11 am (Australian Prescriber). Can high testosterone levels cause erectile dysfunction? and can thyroid disorders or their medicines cause ED?

Can hydroceles, haemorrhoids or bowel problems cause erectile dysfunction?

None of them is among the causes named by healthdirect, Healthy Male or Australian Prescriber. Haemorrhoids ("piles") are lumps inside and around the anus caused by pressure in its veins, and most symptoms go away without treatment (healthdirect). What studies have looked at is on each page: can haemorrhoids cause erectile dysfunction?, do hydroceles cause ED? and can stomach and bowel problems cause ED?

Is bleeding after sex, or a low sperm count, a sign of erectile dysfunction?

No — they are separate problems. healthdirect is explicit that erectile dysfunction does not include problems with ejaculation, fertility or sex drive: can erectile dysfunction cause a low sperm count? Bleeding needs its own check. In men, blood in semen "is reasonably common and in most cases is not serious", and a doctor can rule out serious causes (healthdirect); in women, vaginal bleeding after sex is a reason to see a doctor at any age (healthdirect): what causes bleeding during or after sex, and how long does it last? Medical records use their own diagnosis codes: which ICD-10 codes are used for erectile dysfunction?

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