Viagra, has dominated the market since it became available back in 1998, as the number one solutions for men erectile dysfunction (ED).
Prescriptions for the drug increased by 25% back in 2015 and have continued to rise steadily since. In just one year 1.7 million Viagra prescriptions were handed out to men experiencing problems in the bedroom.
Erectile dysfunction is generally thought of as a condition only affecting older men, but a new study revealed just how many young men may also have ED. The study, published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, shows that one in four men will experience ED at some point in their lives.
But as the rate of ED continues to rise, are men aware of the health consequences and potential dangers of Viagra?
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Online Dr Seth Rankin, founder of London Doctors Clinic, answers all your burning questions about Viagra.
Is Viagra Safe?
On the scale of many medications that people take it is very safe. So long as you are not taking nitrates (for angina or recreation) there is very little chance of any problems. It has been taken by many millions of men (and a fair few curious women) and no significant health risks have emerged as yet.
Keep in mind though that the rest of your health may not be up to the vigorous exercise that sildenafil suddenly enables you to embark upon. For example if you have heart disease the unaccustomed activity may be the last straw.
Always best to speak to a doctor – even though it is freely available from many other outlets.
What happens to your body if you take too much Viagra?
Assuming you’re healthy enough to take a recommended dose, overdosing on Viagra isn’t pretty. Everything that may go wrong is much more likely to go wrong if you take too much.
If you take too much Viagra you may get priapism which is a persistent and painful erection that often lasts for hours on end.
Priapism is a medical emergency, meaning you should rush to the hospital if it happens, because if it isn’t treated within 24 hours you may damage your schlong for life.
A prolonged erection can permanently damage the penile tissues making it difficult to get hard in the future.
But since Viagra can lower your blood pressure it can lead to heart problems, like an irregular heartbeat and worse yet a heart attack.
So, really, less is more in this case
Are there any health consequences of taking Viagra?
Most men get a bit of facial flushing and nasal congestion and many get a headache as well. These are usually mild and well tolerated compared with the problem for which you are taking it for in the first place.
It can also make you a bit lightheaded as it can drop your blood pressure a bit.
Sometimes the erection one gets can be too much for too long. It can occasionally cause an erection that doesn’t go away and any erection that lasts longer than 4 hours can cause serious problems by blocking off the penis’ own blood supply – which can result in having die and drop off.
So see a doctor urgently if it won’t go down. This is more likely to happen in overdose so don’t take more than the recommended dose.
What else do you need to know about the blue pill?
Sildenafil (the medication more commonly known by the brand Viagra) is one of the most commonly used medications in the world and for good reason. Over 50% of men age 40-70 have trouble maintaining an erection and in younger men it is still very common with 25% of men going to the doctor for the first time with erectile dysfunction being under 40.
Sildenafil is the first drug in history that has been actually proven to actually work on improving an erection so it is a wonderful thing for many. It really does improve blood flow to the penis and an erection is all about blood flow. There are now 3 other medications that work just as well as sildenafil – sometimes better.
But with more and more men who aren’t actually suffering from ED using the drug it’s worth going over what everyone should know about the medication.
What do you recommend for men with erectile dysfunction?
Firstly stop taking any drugs or drinking too much alcohol. Then stop smoking and get a bit fitter.
Then talk to a doctor just to check if there may be something else going on with your health.
Sometimes, it can be a lifestyle issue, sometimes a confidence issue. Other times, it can be a sign of heart disease, diabetes, low testosterone, or many other things, so it’s worth checking.
Of course most of the time there won’t be anything physical but it is definitely best to be sure.
Then if there is nothing to be found sildenafil (or its newer siblings) can work like magic. Probably the commonest way it helps is to restore a bit of confidence.
As any man knows sex is as much in the mind as in the body and having to worry about whether your member is up for the outing is only going to make it shy. Sildenafil can help take your mind of the physical aspects. Usually a few doses will get you back to normal.
If there is a physical reason it can work incredibly well too. Sildenafil and its cousins have transformed the lives of couples with all manner of health problems.
So talk to your doctor if you suffer from ED or if you want to know more.
Source: Daily Star
