| Millions of men suffer from sexual problems. The widespread sexual dysfunction is the inability of a man to attain or maintain erection till ejaculation. It is differently called erectile dysfunction (ED).
ED can be treated. The cause of ED and your lifestyle determine the treatment you and your doctor will select. Scientific advances have helped increase the number of new options available to cure ED efficiently. One of the most efficient means is drug therapy.
Sildenafil (Viagra) is a tablet that men take to treat ED. Two more oral drugs, vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis) were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2003.
How does Viagra work?
The drug relaxes the arteries of the penile area, so blood flow to the organ increases. As a result, there can be several erections within a few hours. Viagra is efficient, if the man is sexually stimulated, and does not cause an erection by merely taking the drugs.
Drug interactions
But while each medication has proved potent, none is cure-all. More than that, they can bring about problems when taken with other drugs. Remember that drug-to-drug interactions with nitrates or nitroglycerin cardiac drugs can trigger severe decrease in blood pressure, which can be fatal.
Dosage
One Viagra pill is taken once a day. Commonly it works within 30 minutes to 1 hour and lasts approximately 4 hours.
Side effects
Almost every drug has adverse side effects, even if you take it according to the prescription. Viagra is no exception. Beneath are some common side effects you should be fully aware of before taking the drug. The commonest side effects are headaches, dizziness, upset stomach, redness in face, neck and/or chest and visual problems.
Contraindications
The drug is contraindicated in men with heart problems, anatomical malformations of the penis, in men with a predisposition to elongated erections triggered by sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma (a type of cancer), leukemia, liver and kidney problems, in males taking certain medications for HIV, in those over 65, in men having a recent history of a heart attack, stroke or heart rhythm disorder. There have been cases when men taking the drug died during sexual activity.
Please, consult your family doctor before taking Viagra. If your doctor has prescribed you Viagra, stringently follow the recommended dose. |
