Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the persistent or recurring incapacity to achieve or maintain sufficient rigidity of the penis to be able to have satisfactory sexual intercourse.OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical evaluation of the treatments prescribed in Spain for ED in terms of efficacy, patient satisfaction, onset of action, tolerability and reproducibility of the effect. METHODS: A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted in which we collected demographic data, medical and sexual history, concomitant medication, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures applied to ED and clinical response to the prescribed treatment, in male patients over 18 years of age who had visited a doctor in the 3 months prior to the start of the study. RESULTS: Data was collected from 5281 patients. 86.8% of those taking vardenafil obtained an erection that was sufficient for satisfactory intercourse vs. 59.1% with tadalafil and 45.2% with sildenafil (p<0.0001). The time required to obtain the erection was considered satisfactory in 89.7% of the patients taking vardenafil vs. 65.2% with tadalafil and 44.8% with sildenafil (p<0.0001). The tolerability of the prescribed treatment was satisfactory in 94.3% of the patients who took vardenafil vs. 77.8% with tadalafil and 74.0% with sildenafil (p<0.0001). A total of 85.7% of the patients with ED who took vardenafil referred they were confident that they could obtain and maintain a sufficient erection in each new attempt vs. 57.1% with tadalafil and 44.6% with sildenafil (p<0.0001). The mean prescribed dose of vardenafil was 15.9 mg (SD 5.2), 18.6 mg (SD 6.9) for tadalafil and 60.6 mg (SD 23.7) for sildenafil.CONCLUSIONS: Oral treatments for erectile dysfunction provide a good clinical response, observing a statistically higher response with vardenafil at a lower dose.