The drug name sildenafil citrate is known in the market as Viagra. Viagra is originally developed by British scientists and cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 is stopped by the drug, which is the enzyme that causes the degradation of cGMP – that causes blood flow in the penis to be regulated. In other words this is mainly use in the medical field for sexual dysfunctions in male.
What it does :
There are 3 main medical uses for Viagra, and they are as follows:
1. For Sexual Dysfunction- Treatment of the erectile dysfunction (ED) is the main medicinal purpose of Viagra. This is now the erectile dysfunction’s standard drug of choice, including those with diabetes.
Patients taking in antidepressants may also experience erectile dysfunction either through the antidepressant drugs or direct effect the illness.
Even 2003 reports on female patients under antidepressants, had shown better sexual functions after taking the medication.
2. For Pulmonary Hypertension- This Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension which is a rare disease also benefits from the effect of Viagra as the drug causes the arterial wall to relax, lowering pulmonary arterial pressure and effectively reducing the right ventricle’s workload. Although using the same sildenafil citrate, Viagra is renamed into Revatio instead so consumers can differentiate it from the drug to treat ED.
3. For Altitude Sickness- Mountain climbers suffering from pulmonary edema coming from increased altitude during travels can either be treated or be prevented getting this sickness with the use of Sildenafil, same drug in Viagra.
Side-effects :
The most common side effects of this drug are:
- Headache
- Upset stomach
- Dyspepsia
- Flushing
- Nasal congestion
- Impaired vision which includes blurred vision and photophobia
Less common side-effects are:
- Cyanopsia, where the patient sees everything tinted in blue
- Loss of peripheral vision
- Erection that may last for many hours
Very rare reports of side-effects are:
Heart attack
Irregular heart beats
Stroke
In extremely rare reports, death
Ingredients :
The active ingredient in Viagra is Sildenafil. Inactive ingredients for ease of use include:
- Anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Croscarmellose sodium
- Hypromellose
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Titanium dioxide
- Triacetin
- Lactose
How to Use :
First of all, make sure that you really need the drug by consulting a physician. A lot of men have occasional erectile dysfunction and some mistake this for impotence. The potency of Viagra, like most other drugs, is highly affected by taking it the right way. This drug is unlike most treatment drugs that you have to take them on a regular basis every day. Viagra is only meant to be taken in prescribed dosage ideally about 15-30 minutes before engaging into sexual act or between 30 minutes and 4 hours, and you will notice how erection will remain hard and strong for as long as you need it. Only heavy fatty meals may block some of the ingredients to be absorbed properly.
What are the dosages?
The pill will have an engraved “Viagra xx” on one side where the “xx” may stand for “25”, “50”, or “100” and unit is in milligrams. The dose for treatment of ED is between 25-100 mg, and should not be taken more than once per day.
What not to do :
Avoid eating fatty-foods before taking the drug, this may cause slower absorption, or staggered effect as this slows down absorption of active ingredient. All non-active ingredients are safe and not the cause of side effects, but patients allergic to ingredints should avoid taking this drug.
Cannot be taken by patients with:
- Hypotension
- Severe hepatic treatment
- Had recent stroke or heart attack
- Severe impairment in renal function
Cautions :
Don’t take alcoholic substances as this may cause side effects or unwanted drug reactions.
Exercise extreme caution on patients who are also taking PROTEASE. INHIBITORS like drugs used for treating HIV. Combination of Viagra and these drugs increase the incidence and severity of side-effects. Patients with Psychological Problem will not benefit from taking the drug and should be referred to another medical specialist.
General Information about Viagra
The drug has other medicinal use but is mostly used for treatment and prevention of erectile dysfunction. Only the active ingredient Sildenafil should be considered with the drug-drug interaction.
Viagra is not usually taken on a regular daily basis – it is taken only when needed. Doses are engraved on the pill itself, and the other side with the word “Pfizer”, diamond in shape and color blue making sure that even when the label is not available the drug itself indicates the dosage.