Viagra

Viagra is one of the most widely used medications worldwide for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and male impotency. Millions of men have used Viagra successfully and trust Viagra immensely. Viagra is a trade name and it contains – Sildenafil Citrate. Viagra is used by millions of men in the United States. Viagra inhibits the action of a certain enzyme which helps increase the blood flow to the penis. Thus Viagra helps achieve an erection by aiding the engorgement of the penis with blood. Viagra also helps to maintain the erection. Viagra is available in the tablet form in the dosage of 25, 50 and 100 mg. You must take a tablet orally, atleast 30 minutes to an hour before sexual activity, in order to get maximum benefits. Do not take more the tablet more than once daily.

Benefits of Viagra:

• Viagra is the most trusted brand for Sildenafil Citrate.
• It is widely prescribed by doctors around the world.
• An effective treatment for erectile dysfunction in men.
• Viagra helps to achieve and maintain an erection.

What is Viagra used for:

Viagra is prescribed by millions of doctors for treating erectile dysfunction and male impotency. It is useful to treat erectile dysfunction which may be due to an organic or psychological cause. Millions of men worldwide suffer from erectile dysfunction. It has been found out that nearly fifty percent of the men had an underlying organic cause, while the rest fifty percent suffered from impotency due to psychological reasons.

Viagra works by blocking an enzyme, which helps engorgement of the penis with blood and it increases the blood flow to the penis. It also helps to maintain the erection. You must use it in the dosage prescribed for you by your doctor. Avoid overdosing on this medication. If you suffer from certain health disorders it may not be safe for you to consume this tablet, hence you must avoid self medicating yourself and take the help of your doctor. It is also used in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

How Viagra works:

The main effect of Viagra is promoting penile erection and sustaining the erection. The mechanism of action is as follows - It works by blocking a certain enzyme called phosphodiesterase – PDE5. The blockage of this enzyme increases the blood flow to the penis. Once the blood vessels in the penis engorge with blood, the penis becomes taut. Thus increased blood flow to the penis, helps you to achieve an erection. Sexual stimulation causes release of nitric oxide in the penis, which activates an enzyme called guanylate cyclase. Guanylate cyclase is responsible for the production of cycle guanosine monophosphate, abbreviated as cGMP. cGMP helps control the blood flow to the penis. Phosphodiesterase – PDE5 destroys cGMP. Viagra inhibits the action of phosphodiesterase and thus conserves cGMP. cGMP thus helps to increase the blood flow into the penis and is responsible for penile erection.

Viagra is also used in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension as it helps decrease pressure within the pulmonary artery.

How to take Viagra:

Viagra is available in the tablet form. The tablets have various dosages like 25, 50 and 100mg. You must follow the instructions of your doctor and take the dosage prescribed for you. You must take the tablet orally, 30 minutes to an hour prior to sexual activity for maximum benefits. Do not take it more than hours before sexual activity. Do not take the prescribed dosage more than once a day. Once you are on treatment with Viagra, avoid consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice. Grapefruit is known to interfere with the action of Viagra.

A high fat meal taken along with Viagra may affect the time taken for the action of the medication. High fat meals are known to slow down the process of action of the drug as they slow down the absorption of the drug in the digestive system, hence avoid consuming too much fatty or oily food. You must store the tablets at room temperature. Viagra begins to act in about 30 to 120 minutes following oral consumption. The optimum time when the blood levels of Sildenafil peak after consumption of the tablet is 60 minutes.

Side effects of Viagra:

The most common side effects seen are facial flushing; this is due to increased blood supply to the face. Some others develop headache, pain in the abdomen, nasal congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea. Few individuals complain of difficulty in distinguishing between colours like green and blue. Occasionally some individuals may develop symptoms like ringing in the ears or tinnitus and dizziness. In case you experience any deafness or other changes in hearing you must consult your doctor immediately, as you may need to discontinue Viagra. However, the side effects of Viagra are seen in only 15% of the men taking Viagra, the rest tolerate it quite well and without any side effects.

Precautions you must take when using Viagra:

Viagra is known to have certain interactions with a few drugs. If you suffer from hypertension or ischaemic heart disease, it may not be advisable for you to consume Viagra. It is known to interact with blood pressure lowering medications. Viagra increases the effects of the anti-hypertensive medications. Similarly it also increases the blood pressure lowering effects of Nitrates like isosorbide dinitrate and isosorbide mononitrate – commonly used as Ismo, Imdur etc., Nitroglycerin – (Nitro –Dur).

Nitrates are commonly used in the treatment of angina, and if you are consuming these drugs, you must not take Viagra. Also you must not combine vardenafil (Levitra) or Tadalafil (Cialis) or Revatio (Sildenafil) with Viagra. Certain other drugs like Cimetidine, erythromycin, ketoconazole, itraconazole etc are known the increase the amounts of sildenafil in the body. Hence, you must inform your doctor if you are consuming any of the above medications.

Rifampicin is used in the treatment of tuberculosis and is known to decrease the blood levels of Sildenafil and thus reduce the efficacy of Viagra. So far there is no documented proof of Viagra having any effect on the sperm count in males.