Erectile Dysfunction Medications

2007-04-17 10:41:55

( Pharmeceutical-Medical )



Erectile dysfunction is a disorder characterized by the inability to acquire and maintain an erection during intercourse. There are a myriad of causes of erectile dysfunction, both organic and psychological. These include trauma, penile diseases, diabetes, hormonal disorders, blood vessel diseases, and intake of alcohol and certain medications, such as antidepressants.

If you are experiencing problems with erection, you have a number of options for the management of this disorder. These include sex counseling, vacuum devices, hormonal therapy, erectile dysfunction medications and penile even prosthesis. Management of the disorder may involve a combination of these methods.

Sex counseling is essential in the management of erectile dysfunction to address the couple’s anxieties and answer any questions. Vacuum devices draw blood into the penis, resulting in an erection, which is maintained by using a tension ring. Hormonal replacement therapy with testosterone may provide some benefit to men with low levels of the hormone.

There are many available erectile dysfunction medications available in the market. These may be given in oral, injectable or intraurethral forms. The most popular oral medication is sildenafil citrate. Sildenafil improves erections in majority of men with erectile dysfunction. The drug should be taken about an hour prior to intercourse, with an empty stomach. The drug is contraindicated in patients with heart conditions, and it can cause side effects such as headache, dizziness, and low blood pressure. Injectable vasodilators, which cause widening of the blood vessels, may also be administered directly to the penis. There are also prostaglandin suppositories which may be inserted in the penis to cause erection. Other erectile dysfunction medications include apomorphine and the herbal medication yohimbine; however, these drugs require further studies to ascertain their efficacy and safety.

If none of the previously mentioned treatments work, another option is surgery. You can choose to have a penile prosthetic device implanted or undergo vascular surgery. However, surgery is much more expensive and is considered the last resort in the management of erectile dysfunction.


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