| Erectile Dysfunction
Medicines
April 14, 2004
VIAGRA is celebrating its 6th anniversary
this week. The "little blue pill"
was the first-ever oral drug for erectile dysfunction.
Today it has two rivals and the advertising
drug war has more men talking about a previously
un-mentionable subject.
Three sex drugs are battling for men's attention
these days. The advertising blitz heated up
at the Super Bowl.
VIAGRA,
LEVITRA and Cialis
are prescription drugs for erectile dysfunction,
or E.D., what used to be called impotence.
"Any man who suffers an inability to achieve
and sustain an erection satisfactory for intercourse
would be a patient who would be considered a
candidate for one of these three medications,
said Male
Sexual Dysfunction Specialist Dr. Andrew
Axilrod.
The three drugs work in essentially the same
way. They block an enzyme to promote smooth
muscle relaxation and increase blood flow. They
differ in dosage, in how long they're effective
and in some potential side-effects. Dr. Axilrod
says headaches, facial flushing, nausea and
a stuffy nose are common to all three.
Individuals will respond differently to different
products, he explained. Some patients might
have side effects from one but not have side
effects from the other."
With three pills on the market, if a man finds
one doesn't work for him, he has two other drugs
to try.
According to Dr. Axilrod, It's really, in my
opinion, up to the patient to make that choice
as long as whatever you're prescribing for the
patient ultimately is safe for him.
Men who take nitrate drugs or use alpha-blockers
should not take them. But the drugs themselves
as a class are very safe," Dr. Axilrod
continued.
The flashy ads are likely to send more men
to the doctor and since E.D. may be linked to
other health problems, those doctor's visits
could improve more than a man's love life.
E.D. is very common. It affects an estimated
30 million American men, more than half of all
men over 40. But it's no longer an accepted
part of aging and there are a number of ways
to treat it.
Erectile Dysfunction
In a man, an erection is a response to physical
or emotional sexual stimuli. Nerve signals from
the brain cause the release of nitric oxide,
a chemical that relaxes the muscles in the penis,
allows more blood to flow through the arteries,
and temporarily close the valves in the veins.
Increased blood flow creates pressure, causing
the penis to expand (an erection). Later, blood
flow is slowed and the valves in the veins are
opened, allowing the penis to relax.
Erectile dysfunction (E.D.) is a condition
in which a man can't achieve an erection or
sustain an erection that is sufficient for successful
sexual
intercourse. According to the American Urological
Association, about 25 million adult males have
some degree of E.D. Incidence increases with
age. Underlying conditions, like diabetes, heart
disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease,
increase the risk of developing E.D. Symptoms
may also be caused by alcoholism or use of certain
drugs.
Drug Treatments
for ED
The first medication for E.D. was VIAGRA (sildenafil
citrate), approved in March 1998. Last year,
the FDA approved two more medications: LEVITRA
(vardenafil HCl), and Cialis (tadalafil). All
three drugs work in the same manner they block
the action of the natural enzyme, phosphodiesterase-5,
which enhances smooth muscle relaxation and
allows more blood to flow into the penis. VIAGRA
and LEVITRA take effect in less than 30 minutes
and last about four hours. Cialis takes effect
in about 45 minutes, but lasts for up to 36
hours. According to the Medical Letter on Drugs
and Therapeutics, the average cost per pill
is comparable for all three medications (roughly
$9.00/pill).
So far, no one has performed any studies comparing
the effectiveness of the three medications.
Health experts say if one drug doesnt seem to
help, patients may want to try one of the others.
The medications should not be used by patients
taking nitrates or alpha blockers because of
the increased risk of sudden, low blood pressure.
The drugs are also not recommended for patients
who have had a recent heart attack or stroke,
those with very low blood pressure, uncontrolled
high blood pressure, unstable angina, severe
liver or kidney disease, or an eye condition
called retinitis pigmentosa. Potential side
effects of the drugs include headache, flushing,
runny nose, dizziness, nasal congestion and
stomach upset. Doctors caution the medications
are not a cure for erectile
dysfunction and patients still require sexual
stimulation to attain an erection.
source:-http://rdu.news14.com
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