The dangers of Viagra

[samlad]

What is Viagra?

Sildenafil citrate, now branded as 'Viagra' (and various other trade names) was originally a drug developed British scientists then brought to market by American pharmaceutical company Pfizer. It was initially intended to treat heart disease, however through clinical trails, it was discovered purely by accident that this little blue pill did quite more than just help the ticker!

Of course, Viagra is now primarily prescribed to help people with penile dysfunction, but it is also used to treat people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It was patented and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996, but it was only approved on the basis that it would be prescribed by medical professionals. It became available for prescribe-sale only in 1998.

It was first marketed as a serious cure for 'men that couldn't keep it up', but now this is no longer marketed as a 'serious' drug, it is now marketed as some sort of novelty to enhance sexual performance, hence the reason millions of men AND women are now taking this 'wonder drug'.

It isn't just men that have problems sexually; studies found that people who are taking antidepressants often suffer 'sexual dysfunction', which can be either because of the illness or the medication. Reports from 1999 showed that sildenafil citrate improved sexual function in female patients that were taking antidepressants too.

Sildenafil citrate is effective in the rare heart disease pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It relaxes the arterial wall, leading to decreased pulmonary arterial resistance and pressure, which means that the workload of the right ventricle of the heart is reduced, thus improving the symptoms of right-sided heart failure. Pfizer added and addition registration for the drug to be used for this purpose. This was approved by the FDA in 2005, and is prescribed under the name Revatio, not to be confused with Viagra:

A Viagra pill is shaped like a diamond and is blue in colour




A Revatio pill is round in shape and is white in colour

The dangers of Viagra

Unfortunately Viagra (and other variations of it) is easily obtained from the man down the street to cowboy pharmaceutical companies on the internet. It should be prescribed by a medical professional for the correct dosage, and should only be used when it is necessary, the same as any other medication. Many 'copies' are sold as a bogus, cheaper alternative to Viagra and people never really know what they are taking. Also, many people exceed the recommended dose by taking two or even three at a time, because they want to be able to sexually perform like T1000 from the film Terminator 2! The truth is that by pandering to the ol' alpha-male ego or promiscuous curiosity, people are increasing potential health risks, including:

• Low blood pressure and heart attacks
• Permanent vision loss
• A prolonged and very painful long-lasting erection (priapism)
• A decrease or complete loss of hearing

(References from here)

Many people have experienced symptoms after taking Viagra, such as sickness, dizziness, feeling faint and blacking out. Viagra should not be used as a novelty and even prescription should be a last resort. Erectile dysfunction could be related to many other problems that should be treated in the first place:

Physical causes

There are four main types of health conditions that can cause physical problems resulting in ED. These are:
vasculogenic – conditions that affect the flow of blood to your penis

• neurogenic – conditions that affect your nervous system, which is made up of your brain, nerves and spinal cord
• hormonal – conditions that affect your hormone levels
• anatomical – conditions that affect the physical structure of your penis

Vasculogenic conditions

Examples of vasculogenic conditions that can cause ED include:

• cardiovascular disease – a disease of the heart or blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• diabetes – a condition that is caused by too much sugar (glucose) in the blood. This can affect both the blood supply and the nerve endings in your penis, so it is also a neurogenic condition.

ED is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. For this reason, it may be one of the first causes that your GP considers when making your diagnosis and planning your treatment.

Neurogenic conditions

Examples of neurogenic conditions that can cause ED include:

• multiple sclerosis – a condition that affects the body's actions and activities, such as movement and balance
• Parkinson’s disease – a condition that affects the way that the brain coordinates body movements, including walking, talking and writing
• a spinal injury or disorder
• a stroke – a serious medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted

Hormonal conditions

Examples of hormonal conditions that can cause ED include:

• hypogonadism – a condition that affects the production of the male sex hormone, testosterone, causing
• abnormally low levels
• an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) – where too much thyroid hormone is produced
• an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) – where not enough thyroid hormone is produced
• Cushing's syndrome – a condition that affects the production of a hormone called cortisol

Anatomical conditions

Peyronie's disease, which affects the tissue of the penis, is an example of an anatomical condition that can cause ED.

Medicinal causes

In some men, certain medicines can cause ED, including:

• diuretics – medicines that increase the production of urine and are often used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), heart failure and kidney disease
• antihypertensives – medicines, such as beta-blockers, that are used to treat high blood pressure
• fibrates – medicines that are used to lower cholesterol levels
• antipsychotics – medicines that are used to treat some mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia
• antidepressants – medicines that are used to treat depression and some types of pain
• corticosteroids – medication that contains steroids, which are a type of hormone
• H2-antagonists – medicines that are used to treat stomach ulcers
• anticonvulsants – medicines that are used to treat epilepsy
• antihistamines – medicines that are used to treat allergic health conditions, such as hay fever
• anti-androgens – medication that suppresses androgens (male sex hormones)
• cytotoxics – medication used in chemotherapy to prevent cancer cells from dividing and growing

Speak to your GP if you are concerned that a prescribed medicine is causing ED. Alternative medication may be available. However, it is important never to stop taking a prescribed medicine unless you are advised to do so by your GP or another qualified healthcare professional who is responsible for your care.

Psychological causes

Possible psychological causes of ED include:

• depression – feelings of extreme sadness that last for a long time
  anxiety – a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear
• ED can often have both physical and psychological causes. For example, if you have diabetes, it may be difficult for you to get an erection, which may cause you to become anxious about the situation. The combination of diabetes and anxiety may lead to an episode of ED.

There are many emotional issues that may also affect your physical ability to get or maintain an erection. These include:

• relationship problems, such as being unable to talk openly about any problems that you have
• lack of sexual knowledge
• past sexual problems
• past sexual abuse
• being in a new relationship

Other causes

Other possible causes of ED include:

• excessive alcohol intake
• tiredness
• using illegal drugs, such as cannabis, heroin or cocaine

(References from here)

[curvyirishgirl katie]

Also Sildenafil is off patent now so will be more widely available, as generic brands...


US medical giant Actavis and Israeli pharmaceutical company Teva released their own versions of the erectile dysfunction treatment yesterday after its patent ran out in 11 European countries, including Ireland and the UK.

Viagra, which has often been highlighted as one of the drugs that made Ireland an export champion, is the latest in a series of major drugs manufactured here to lose its patent.



http://www.independent.ie/business/i...-29369262.html

[Alyssa Jenkins]

If you really feel you need something like this for your libido may I recommend you either get some vitamen tonics that are recommended for sex drive which are 100% natural and healthy or in most sex stores they have some types of herbal choices. I personally think if you take viagra and visit an escort you are putting the escort at risk because should anything happen during the appointment and she is unaware of what you have taken she will ultimately not know what to do.
Its always best to use herbal or supplements that are natural rather than any form of drug xx

[JAMESCORK]

Jaysus…..lads and lassies. Are we scaremongering here?

Once you go to your doc first taking Viagra is very safe. I know there was a case of some dude taking two tabs and getting a heart attack recently, but there are always going to be extreme cases in everything. Who can tell if this guy had an underlying problem?


Here look.... http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/...r/lhdoc191.htm

[samlad]

Jaysus…..lads and lassies. Are we scaremongering here?

Once you go to your doc first taking Viagra is very safe. I know there was a case of some dude taking two tabs and getting a heart attack recently, but there are always going to be extreme cases in everything. Who can tell if this guy had an underlying problem?


Here look.... http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/...r/lhdoc191.htm

As said before, it should be prescribed, not bought on the internet, and people tend to take it when they don't need it and/or they exceed the dosage. If you don't need it, the doctor would not prescribe it in the first place. People should be made aware, because the last thing an escort (or anyone) needs is some dude passing out with a solid cock and having to call an ambulance and explain the situation.

[Doozer]

[Westsidex]

everyone reacts different to different meds and some will get sides more than others but the two things a person doesnt want is getting a side effect and then resorting to using another med to counteract that side effect. Youll end up a chemical plant. The other is using it as a crutch instead of when needed only. All oral drugs taken for long periods will be very hard on your bodies organs as well. you also have the counterfeit versions which can contain less of the drug or none of it. Drugs are fine when needed and taken, its the people that dont listen to their bodies and think they are the exceptions are the ones that will fall.

Westside.

[gaze]

Also Sildenafil is off patent now so will be more widely available, as generic brands...


US medical giant Actavis and Israeli pharmaceutical company Teva released their own versions of the erectile dysfunction treatment yesterday after its patent ran out in 11 European countries, including Ireland and the UK.

Viagra, which has often been highlighted as one of the drugs that made Ireland an export champion, is the latest in a series of major drugs manufactured here to lose its patent.



http://www.independent.ie/business/i...-29369262.html

Pfizer now also market their own generic Sildenapril, called ' 'Sildenapril Pfizer'

[sharkskin]

It is certainly true that there are herbal remedies out there that work just as well as viagra - almost uncannily so. They also have the same potential side effects as viagra because, big surprise, the herbal remedies that work as well as viagra do so because they actually do contain viagra.

New Scientist reports that seven out of ten samples tested by researchers at a uni in the US contained viagra. The FDA - a branch of the US govt - found it in six out of seventeen samples that they tried.

The FDA study is from 2009, the New Scientist report is from this year. That may very well suggest that this is getting more and more common. Sorry for the lack of links but it is too hard from my phone. Just google it.

When I take the little pills that I get from the doc, I know that what I am getting is pure and is being delivered in a known quantity. If you are not man enough to front up to the doc then by all means go down the herbal route but don't kid yourself that you are taking a natural healthy product. Accept that you also run a higher risk because you have no idea of how much you are taking or how pure it is.

[gaze]

If Belfast is the number 1 user of viagra and Dublin doesnt even hit the top 10, (as staed in another tread by Samlad)''' ,,,,,,,,,,,,,we should get a few interesting statistics in a few years