ERECTILE DISFUNCTION (ED)                                                                  Sitemap

What is ED?

ED is when a man has problems getting or maintaining an erection long enough for sex. It happens when not enough blood flows to the penis.

ED isn’t the same for all men. Some men aren’t able to get an erection at all. Others can get one, but it’s not hard enough for sex.

And others get a hard erection but lose it before or during sex.

ED is a medical condition. So in most cases, erections will not improve without treatment.

ED is more common than you might think. More than half of all men over 40 have some difficulty getting and maintaining an erection. The fact is, guys at any age can experience ED.

Dr. Sheta prescribes Viagra and Cialis for his ED patients.

What Causes ED?

Usually when a man is sexually aroused:

• The brain sends an impulse telling the arteries in the penis to widen.

• As a result, more blood flows to the penis.

• When this happens, the penis expands and hardens. This causes an erection.

• When a man has ED, the nerves or blood vessels in the penis don’t work properly. This prevents blood from flowing to the penis. And that can prevent an erection.

Treatments

Oral Prescription Medicines

This is a class of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors.

Oral prescription medicines (tablets) are the most common medical treatment for ED. These medicines are convenient to use. Prescription ED tablets work well for most men who have mild, moderate, or severe ED. These medicines can work even when ED is caused by another medical condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

There are three medicines in this class of prescription drugs. These ED medicines help increase blood flow in the penis when a man is sexually stimulated. The medicines help a man with ED get and keep an erection that is firm enough for sexual activity. Once sexual intercourse is completed, blood flow to the penis lessens, and the erection goes away.

All ED tablets are not exactly the same. They can differ in:  

• Length of time a single dose of medicine works

• Possible side effects

• Food or medicine interactions

Viagra and Cialis

Viagra

If you take any medicines that have nitrates in them (like nitroglycerin for chest pain)—every day or even once in a while—you should NOT take VIAGRA.
 
Discuss your general health status with your doctor to ensure that you are healthy enough to engage in sexual activity. If you experience chest pain, nausea, or any other discomforts during sex, seek immediate medical help.
 
Although erections lasting for more than 4 hours may occur rarely with all ED treatments in this drug class, to avoid long-term injuries, it is important to seek immediate medical help.
 
If you are older than age 65, or have serious liver or kidney problems, your doctor may start you at the lowest dose (25 mg) of VIAGRA. If you are taking protease inhibitors, such as for the treatment of HIV, your doctor may recommend a 25-mg dose and may limit you to a maximum single dose of 25 mg of VIAGRA in a 48-hour period.
 
In rare instances, men taking PDE5 inhibitors (oral erectile dysfunction medicines, including VIAGRA) reported a sudden decrease or loss of vision. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to these medicines or to other factors. If you experience sudden decrease or loss of vision, stop taking PDE5 inhibitors, including VIAGRA, and call a doctor right away.
 
Sudden decrease or loss of hearing has been rarely reported in people taking PDE5 inhibitors, including VIAGRA. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to the PDE5 inhibitors or to other factors. If you experience sudden decrease or loss of hearing, stop taking VIAGRA and contact a doctor right away.
 

If you have prostate problems or high blood pressure for which you take medicines called alpha blockers, your doctor may start you on a lower dose of VIAGRA.
 
Remember to protect yourself and your partner from sexually transmitted diseases.
 
The most common side effects of VIAGRA are headache, facial flushing, and upset stomach. Less commonly, bluish vision, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light may briefly occur.

Cialis

Cialis (tadalafil) is a prescription medicine taken by mouth for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. Cialis may help a man with ED get and keep an erection when he is sexually excited. However, Cialis does not cure ED and does not increase a man's sexual desire. Cialis is only for men, not for women and children, and must be used only under a doctor's care. Cialis is made by Eli Lilly and Company, and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003.

In 2005, the FDA issued an alert for men using Cialis, Viagra, or Levitra. A small number of men have lost eyesight in one eye sometime after taking these drugs. This type of vision loss is called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). The FDA still does not know if these drugs cause NAION, since this condition also occurs in men who do not take these medicines.

The FDA has approved new labels for Cialis, Viagra, and Levitra to include information on possible eyesight loss (NAION). If you experience a loss in your eyesight, stop using these medicines, and get medical help right away.

You should not take Cialis if you take any medicines called "nitrates", use recreational drugs called "poppers", or have been

Before using Cialis, tell your healthcare professional if you have or had heart problems, have low blood pressure or have high blood pressure that is not controlled, have had a stroke, have liver problems, have kidney problems or require dialysis, have ever had severe vision loss, have retinitis pigmentosa (a rare genetic eye disease), have stomach ulcers, have a bleeding problem, have a deformed penis shape or Peyronie's disease, have had an erection that lasted more than 4 hours, have blood cell problems such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia, or take medicines called "alpha blockers."