The primary goal for treatment of intermittent priapism is the prevention of future episodes. This can usually be achieved with drug therapy, although there is not a universally accepted treatment. Treatment is generally adapted to the patient.
Suggested drug therapies include:
- Hormonal therapies, which can be used for patients who have reached sexual maturity.
- Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (for example, Viagra), which can alleviate and prevent intermittent episodes in patients with priapism that is idiopathic (unknown cause) or associated with sickle cell disease. Treatment should be initiated only when the penis is flaccid.
Other systemic drugs can be considered but are not supported by research.
