Introduction about Viagra
Viagra is a drug prescribed for treating the male impotence or erectile dysfunction. Pfizer is the brand owner of the brand name Viagra. It is popularly known as 'Blue Pill' in the drug market. Erectile dysfunction occurs in ten million people every year in United States alone. Nowadays, even men below 30 years of age are suffering from erectile dysfunction due to living habits and stress. Viagra contains sildenafil as an active ingredient. It is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor. It works by inhibiting the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5 in the muscles of sexual organs in males and help more blood to flow into these organs and keep people with impotence to achieve better sexual performance. Sildenafil is FDA approved drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in males. It is available under the brand name of Viagra and another brand in Revatio. Latter is useful for improving exercise ability or endurance in athletes and for treatment of pulmonary hypertension. One can't use both Viagra and revatio simultaneously.
Viagra may also be indicated conditions other then erectile dysfunction which is not listed here. Precautions while taking Viagra - Viagra cannot be combined with drugs used for heart ailments or chest pain.
Drugs popularly known as 'poppers' have nitroglycerin and nitrite or nitrate compounds. When taken with sildenafil can increase the side effects and produce many adverse reactions. Do not take Viagra along with drugs containing nitro glycerin like nitro-bid, nitrostat, nitro-dur etc. Also, sildenafil should not be combined with isosorbide dinitrate.
Commonly used drugs having isosorbide dinitrate are sorbitrate, dilatrate-SR and Isordil. It is also contraindicated with isosorbide mononitrate (Monoket, Indur and ISMO). The adverse effects of using Viagra with such drugs includes rapid fall in blood pressure to severe levels, stroke, heart attack, fainting and nausea. After taking Viagra a, if you suffer from any serious side effect like nausea, dizziness, fainting, chest pain, paraesthesia like tingling in arms and legs. Numb hands or anything unusual during sexual activity after taking Viagra, you must call your doctor without any delay. There can be serious adverse reaction which you have encountered and need observation by physician. The right gap between two doses of Viagra is 24 hours. Therefore, you can consume Viagra only once a day. There can be another side effect which you must be careful about. If erections lost for more than 4 hours or you have a painful erection, contact your doctor immediately. This side effect is known as priapism and occurs rarely in the men using Viagra. Other side effects of Viagra include dim vision; damage to optic nerve causes loss of vision, increase in the pre-existing eye problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and heart diseases may occur more frequently in people who are over 50 years of age and people with habit of smoking and increased use of alcohol.
If you suffer from any of the following medical conditions, you must consult your doctor before taking Viagra: any liver diseases like cirrhosis of liver, hepatitis, liver enlargement, renal diseases like renal failure, blood disorders - anemia, sickle cell, leukemia etc. ulcer of stomach, congestive cardiac failure, stroke, heart attack, any pre-existing eye disorder related to vision, coronary artery diseases, any disease related to penis, and if you are prohibited from having sex due to any medical reason. Most common side effects of Viagra are related to vision, there can be complete loss of vision or dim vision after continuous use of Viagra or over dose may produce such conditions. To prevent this you must have your eyes examined to know about any pre-existing eye disease. Viagra belongs to the FDA pregnancy category B. it will not harm the unborn baby. Viagra is strictly to be used by men and not for children below 18 years of age until the doctor prescribed and by the women. This drug may pass through mother's breasts into the milk if consumed accidentally.
Viagra should not be given to the pregnant women. Talk to your doctor to know more about Viagra and pregnancy. Don't consume the drug deliberately without telling your doctor.