Archive for the ‘ED general’ Category
Choice of ED Rx now a matter of patient preference
…But open discussions of sexual dysfunction have led to ‘hucksterism’ and false claims
Phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction and have proven to have both important clinical and social effects. They have moved discussions of sexual dysfunction from the closet to the examination room, not to mention the television set, where the topic is openly discussed in commercials and on talk shows.
“These new medications have really lessened the taboo that once surrounded the subject. The trends [in ED treatment] are more open discussion and less hesitation by family doctors to discuss this,” said John J. Mulcahy, MD, professor of urology at Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis.
Several studies introduced at the annual meeting of the European Association of Urology congress in Vienna last month compared the efficacy of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) with that of two new PDE-5 inhibitors — tadalafil (Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra).
Oral ED agent has rapid onset of action, study shows
The onset of action may be very rapid—within 10 minutes—in some men who take vardenafil (Levitra) to treat erectile dysfunction, according to the results of a multinational study.
Designed to identify the earliest time to onset of action leading to successful sexual intercourse after vardenafil dosing, the “Onset of vardenafil in men with erectile dysfunction” (ONTIME) trial—overseen by Luc Valiquette. MD, professor of urology at the Hospital Saint-Luc du CHUM in Montreal—randomized 732 patients to treatment with vardenafil, 10 mg; vardenafil, 20 mg; or placebo. The study participants had a baseline International Index of Erectile Function score of 13.4 (moderate severity), and all had demonstrated u response to vardenafil.
,p> Each participant was instructed to initiate sexual activity immediately after taking the medication and was issued a stopwatch to time the interval between dosing and attainment of erection perceived to be adequate for penetration with subsequent intercourse completion—recorded as a positive response to question 3 in the Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP3). Read the rest of this entry »
What to do if Viagra won’t do
Erectile dysfunction (ED) — impotence — is an extremely common problem that affects up to 22% of American men, mostly in the older age groups. Once considered primarily a psychological disorder, it is now clear that most cases of impotence have a physical basis. The leading causes are the chronic diseases that damage blood vessels and nerves vital for normal erectile function; diabetes, atherosclerosis, and hypertension head the list (see last month’s Harvard Men’s Health Watch). The medications used to treat these problems and other ailments can also contribute to impotence. Hormonal abnormalities are less common, but they are particularly important to detect since they can be corrected. That’s also true of the psychological problems that cause up to 15% of impotence; table 1 summarizes some of the differences between psychological and physical impotence.