Viagra and related drugs are not for everybody. Men with high blood pressure should not take Viagra.
Viagra is a relatively good drug, as for as prescription drugs for ED go. However, Viagra, and similar pharmaceuticals such as Levitra and Cialis, are not right for every man. For example, these drugs are not indicated for men with uncontrolled hypertension. Men whose blood pressure isn’t under control and are taking certain medications for high blood pressure, shouldn’t take Cialis, Levitra, or Viagra.
How Does Viagra Effect Blood Pressure?
If you listen carefully to the long list of side-effects and warnings given at the end of those TV commercials for Viagra, or the related drugs Levitra and Cialis, you may have heard something to the effect of, “may cause a serious or unsafe drop in blood pressure, particularly in men already taking certain medication for hypertension.” This is because high blood pressure interferes with normal erectile function. So, one of the mechanisms of action of Viagra and the related PDE5 inhibitors is to lower blood pressure. That may not be a problem in most men, and may not even be a problem for men with high blood pressure, who are not taking medications. However, if you are already taking a blood pressure-lowering drug, taking Viagra on top of that can cause your blood pressure to drop dramatically, to a point where it is too low for your heart to pump normally leading to cardiac arrest.
Common Side Effects of Oral ED Drugs
Even men without hypertension, may not want to take Viagra or the other well-known oral ED medications, because they have a variety of unwelcome side effects. All of the popular oral ED medications are what are known as “PDE5 inhibitors,” and therefore work basically the same, with pretty much the same possible side effects.
The most common side effect is a headache, which occurs in about 16% of users of PDE5 inhibitors. Other reactions include flushing, upset stomach, nasal congestion, and urinary tract infections.
Rarer but reported side effects include vision problems such as blurred vision and sensitivity to light. However, men with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative eye disease, should be very cautious about using these medications. In such men that already have RP, Viagra use has been linked to total blindness.
Sudden hearing loss is another rare, but a documented side effect of these drugs. And, as stated earlier, men with diabetes, high blood pressure, or taking nitrates for heart disease should avoid PDE5 inhibitors entirely.
Can Oral ED Drugs Improve Sexual Satisfaction?
Besides the fact that there are men suffering from high blood pressure, and other conditions, who should not take Viagra due to their health, or the drug’s side effects, there is also a common misconception about how these drugs work.
Viagra and related oral ED medications can help a man get an erection. However, they do nothing to increase sensitivity, sexual satisfaction, or increase penis size.
In fact, a recent study of sexual satisfaction conducted in the UK found that while men between 55 and 87 who had used Viagra and similar drugs reported higher levels of sexual activity than men without an ED issue, they also were more likely to be dissatisfied with their sex lives. This basically means that just being able to perform more often, does not necessarily mean you are engaging in better, or more satisfying sex.
Having hypertension, in general, does not mean the patient cannot take PDE5 inhibitors if the patient has good blood pressure control. There is no contraindication for these medications. However, if the patient is taking nitrates or calcium channel blockers with controlled or low blood pressure, there is an absolute contraindication. Feel free to contact us today, and ask about some of the latest drug-free treatments for ED we have available.
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Dr. Alvaro J. Ocampo
Dr. Ocampo is an expert physician specializing in anti-aging, hormone therapy, pathology and environmental medicine. He received his medical degree from Columbia State Medical School in Montreal, Canada. Dr. Ocampo’s comprehensive medical experience includes working as medical officer for the U.S. Public Health Service and C.D.C, National Institute for Occupational Health, medical director for the U.S. Public Health Service, and as a Principal Investigator for American Pharmaceutical Companies.
