Aripiprazole and Erectile Dysfunction

Introduction to Aripiprazole's Effects

The European Association of Urology guidelines list antipsychotics as a drug-induced cause of erectile dysfunction, primarily due to typical antipsychotics and other atypical agents that block D2 receptors and elevate prolactin 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Antipsychotics that block D2 receptors and elevate prolactin are known to cause erectile dysfunction, as stated in the 2025 European Association of Urology guidelines 5, 6
SSRIs cause decreased libido, orgasmic dysfunction, and erectile problems, in contrast to aripiprazole's protective effect against sexual dysfunction 7

If a patient on aripiprazole reports erectile dysfunction, the European Association of Urology guidelines recommend evaluating other causes such as diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, other medications, or psychogenic factors 5, 6
The patient should be checked for concomitant medications that cause ED, particularly SSRIs, beta-blockers, or thiazide diuretics, as listed in the Hypertension journal 1, 2, 3, 4, 7
Treatment of the actual underlying cause of ED should be considered, using PDE5 inhibitors if appropriate and not contraindicated, as recommended by the European Association of Urology guidelines and The Journal of Urology 5, 6, 8, 9