Amsterdammers are 50% more likely to have a doctor’s prescription for problems with impotence than men in other parts of the country, according to pharmaceutical industry figures.

The SFK, which monitors medicine use, says it has no explanation for why so much more Viagra is sold in the Dutch capital than in other cities.

In The Hague, the number of prescriptions for impotence is up 20% on the national average and in Rotterdam just 7%. In total, 120,000 men were prescribed the drug last year.

By contrast, men in Friesland and Groningen and in Zwolle and its surroundings take fewer anti-impotency drugs than the national average.

Drugs such as Viagra are not covered in the basic health insurance package. They have to be paid for at the pharmacy but are only available on prescription. The pills cost around €10 each.

Previous research has shown the pill is most widely used by men over the age of 60.