In market research, men identified three things as essential elements in achieving a satisfactory erection, including:
* The ability to get an erection
* Erection hardness
* The ability to keep an erection that lasts long enough to finish having sex
Taken together, these three things make up erection quality.
Almost all men, at some time in their lives, have occasional difficulty getting and keeping a quality erection. However, if you have more than an occasional difficulty getting or keeping an erection, if your erections are just not as hard as they used to be, or if you cannot have an erection at all, you may have erectile dysfunction (ED).
If so, you are not alone. It is estimated that up to 30 million men in the United States have experienced at least partial ED.
If you've noticed changes in your erections, there is something you can do about it. Talk to your doctor.
In clinical trials, LEVITRA reliably improved erectile function for a majority of men with mild to severe ED.
Assessing Your Risk of Erectile Dysfunction
The ED Awareness Quiz is an easy-to-use educational tool for men at risk for erectile dysfunction (ED). Since many conditions can affect erectile function, this tool considers risk factors such as health conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease), lifestyle (smoking), and age to help discover how you might be at risk for ED.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Cialis
October 2 -- In the first randomized trial of its kind, Tadalafil, a drug typically prescribed for erectile dysfunction in men, has been proven to increase the sexual function of prostate cancer survivors, according to a study released today from the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, with an estimated 235,000 Americans expected to be diagnosed with it this year. In its early stage, prostate cancer can be treated with surgery and radiation therapy or a combination of the two. With more advanced cancer, treatment options can vary.
The walnut-sized prostate is located near the tubes that carry urine and semen. After treatment, some patients report trouble achieving an erection sufficient for sexual activity, also called erectile dysfunction or ED. In this study, doctors wanted to test whether the drug Tadalafil, which sells under the brand name Cialis, would help prostate cancer survivors with ED who were treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT). This is the first randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial to examine Tadalafil's lasting effect in treating patients who have ED after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
Nearly 360 patients were treated for prostate cancer at the Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center in The Netherlands between 1998 and 2002. Among them, 60 patients complaining of erectile dysfunction after radiation therapy were included. Patients were eligible if they were treated with 3D-CRT at least 12 months before the study entry, agreed not to use any other treatment for ED and agreed to make at least one sexual intercourse attempt every week during the 12-week trial. Patients were given an initial 4-week course of no treatment at all; however, patients had to attempt sexual activity at least once a week in this 4-week period.
Patients were given 20mg of Tadalafil or a placebo for 6 weeks. Patients were allowed to take the drug or placebo at-will with no restrictions on food or alcohol, but no more than once per day. The men were instructed that the drug would be effective for as long as 36 hours after dosing. After the first 6-week period of the trial, participants were moved onto alternative treatment; patients who were given placebo were switched to Tadalafil and vice versa.
Doctors found that successful intercourse was reported in 48 percent of the survivors who took Tadalafil versus the 9 percent of the men who were given placebo. There was also a reported improvement of the quality of erections in 67 percent of the patients versus only 20 percent of the placebo group.
"Fortunately, prostate cancer is a very curable disease with most patients living at least five years after diagnosis. Now that we've proven we can beat the disease, it's imperative that we work to help maintain the quality of life for the men who survive it, including preserving their sexual function," said Luca Incrocci, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study. Dr. Incrocci is a radiation oncologist at the Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center in The Netherlands. "This study proves that the drug Cialis is effective in helping men maintain their sexual health."
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, with an estimated 235,000 Americans expected to be diagnosed with it this year. In its early stage, prostate cancer can be treated with surgery and radiation therapy or a combination of the two. With more advanced cancer, treatment options can vary.
The walnut-sized prostate is located near the tubes that carry urine and semen. After treatment, some patients report trouble achieving an erection sufficient for sexual activity, also called erectile dysfunction or ED. In this study, doctors wanted to test whether the drug Tadalafil, which sells under the brand name Cialis, would help prostate cancer survivors with ED who were treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT). This is the first randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial to examine Tadalafil's lasting effect in treating patients who have ED after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
Nearly 360 patients were treated for prostate cancer at the Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center in The Netherlands between 1998 and 2002. Among them, 60 patients complaining of erectile dysfunction after radiation therapy were included. Patients were eligible if they were treated with 3D-CRT at least 12 months before the study entry, agreed not to use any other treatment for ED and agreed to make at least one sexual intercourse attempt every week during the 12-week trial. Patients were given an initial 4-week course of no treatment at all; however, patients had to attempt sexual activity at least once a week in this 4-week period.
Patients were given 20mg of Tadalafil or a placebo for 6 weeks. Patients were allowed to take the drug or placebo at-will with no restrictions on food or alcohol, but no more than once per day. The men were instructed that the drug would be effective for as long as 36 hours after dosing. After the first 6-week period of the trial, participants were moved onto alternative treatment; patients who were given placebo were switched to Tadalafil and vice versa.
Doctors found that successful intercourse was reported in 48 percent of the survivors who took Tadalafil versus the 9 percent of the men who were given placebo. There was also a reported improvement of the quality of erections in 67 percent of the patients versus only 20 percent of the placebo group.
"Fortunately, prostate cancer is a very curable disease with most patients living at least five years after diagnosis. Now that we've proven we can beat the disease, it's imperative that we work to help maintain the quality of life for the men who survive it, including preserving their sexual function," said Luca Incrocci, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study. Dr. Incrocci is a radiation oncologist at the Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center in The Netherlands. "This study proves that the drug Cialis is effective in helping men maintain their sexual health."
Monday, January 28, 2008
Viagra’s other benefits.
Viagra is now being used to treat not only erectile dysfunction (ED) but also pulmonary hypertension. And the drug may have potential for treating several other conditions, reports the August 2007 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch.
The three ED medications currently on the market—Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis—all work by the same means, and they have similar side effects. The most common are headaches and facial flushing, which occur in 15% of men. Other reactions include nasal congestion, indigestion, and back pain. These side effects are mild and temporary. The most important worry about ED pills is their ability to widen arteries enough to lower blood pressure. And men who are taking nitrates should never use any of the ED pills.
Although some of the drugs’ side effects may be troublesome, others may be helpful, and scientists are studying whether ED pills might help treat a variety of nonsexual problems. Viagra (sildenafil) has been on the market longest and is most studied. It’s yet not clear if the other ED pills offer similar benefits, but Viagra, at least, may prove useful for some other conditions, including these:
Pulmonary hypertension: Viagra is now marketed under the name Revatio for this uncommon but serious disorder of high pressure in the blood vessels leading to the lungs.
Mountain sickness: Viagra can reduce pulmonary artery pressure at high altitude and improve the ability to exercise in low oxygen conditions.
Raynaud’s phenomenon: In affected individuals, exposure to the cold triggers spasm of the small arteries that supply blood to the fingers, toes, or both, which become pale, cold, and painful. Both Viagra and Levitra have been helpful in clinical trials.
Heart disease: Studies suggest Viagra might help patients with congestive heart failure or diastolic dysfunction.
The three ED medications currently on the market—Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis—all work by the same means, and they have similar side effects. The most common are headaches and facial flushing, which occur in 15% of men. Other reactions include nasal congestion, indigestion, and back pain. These side effects are mild and temporary. The most important worry about ED pills is their ability to widen arteries enough to lower blood pressure. And men who are taking nitrates should never use any of the ED pills.
Although some of the drugs’ side effects may be troublesome, others may be helpful, and scientists are studying whether ED pills might help treat a variety of nonsexual problems. Viagra (sildenafil) has been on the market longest and is most studied. It’s yet not clear if the other ED pills offer similar benefits, but Viagra, at least, may prove useful for some other conditions, including these:
Pulmonary hypertension: Viagra is now marketed under the name Revatio for this uncommon but serious disorder of high pressure in the blood vessels leading to the lungs.
Mountain sickness: Viagra can reduce pulmonary artery pressure at high altitude and improve the ability to exercise in low oxygen conditions.
Raynaud’s phenomenon: In affected individuals, exposure to the cold triggers spasm of the small arteries that supply blood to the fingers, toes, or both, which become pale, cold, and painful. Both Viagra and Levitra have been helpful in clinical trials.
Heart disease: Studies suggest Viagra might help patients with congestive heart failure or diastolic dysfunction.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Testosterone and memory
Testosterone may improve mental function, from the Harvard Men’s Health Watch
When we think about the powers of testosterone, we usually do not consider mental processes. However, research suggests that testosterone levels may affect men’s cognitive performance, reports the January 2008 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch.
All the body’s attributes change with age, and mental functions are no exception. Memory is the most fragile mental function. With age, new learning is slower, new information is processed less carefully, and details often slip. These changes give rise to the “senior moment” in healthy elders and to cognitive impairment and dementia in others.
Testosterone levels decline with age, just when memory begins to slow. Might falling hormone levels account for some of the problem? Perhaps, says Harvard Men’s Health Watch. The data are far from conclusive, but studies have found some connections. For instance, higher testosterone levels in midlife have been linked to better preservation of tissue in some parts of the brain. And in older men, higher testosterone levels have been associated with better performance on cognitive tests.
If higher testosterone levels are associated with better mental function, do treatments that reduce testosterone lead to cognitive decline? Three studies linked impaired performance on cognitive tests with androgen deprivation therapy, which is sometimes used in treating prostate cancer. However, the effects were modest and certainly should not deter men from receiving this treatment if needed.
This research also raises the question of whether testosterone therapy might improve mental function in healthy older men, or even in those with cognitive impairment. Only a few small, short-term studies have examined this, and some have reported subtle improvements on cognitive tests. However, high testosterone levels may have harmful effects as well. Harvard Men’s Health Watch suggests that until more research findings are available, men should not use testosterone or any other androgen to improve mental function.
When we think about the powers of testosterone, we usually do not consider mental processes. However, research suggests that testosterone levels may affect men’s cognitive performance, reports the January 2008 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch.
All the body’s attributes change with age, and mental functions are no exception. Memory is the most fragile mental function. With age, new learning is slower, new information is processed less carefully, and details often slip. These changes give rise to the “senior moment” in healthy elders and to cognitive impairment and dementia in others.
Testosterone levels decline with age, just when memory begins to slow. Might falling hormone levels account for some of the problem? Perhaps, says Harvard Men’s Health Watch. The data are far from conclusive, but studies have found some connections. For instance, higher testosterone levels in midlife have been linked to better preservation of tissue in some parts of the brain. And in older men, higher testosterone levels have been associated with better performance on cognitive tests.
If higher testosterone levels are associated with better mental function, do treatments that reduce testosterone lead to cognitive decline? Three studies linked impaired performance on cognitive tests with androgen deprivation therapy, which is sometimes used in treating prostate cancer. However, the effects were modest and certainly should not deter men from receiving this treatment if needed.
This research also raises the question of whether testosterone therapy might improve mental function in healthy older men, or even in those with cognitive impairment. Only a few small, short-term studies have examined this, and some have reported subtle improvements on cognitive tests. However, high testosterone levels may have harmful effects as well. Harvard Men’s Health Watch suggests that until more research findings are available, men should not use testosterone or any other androgen to improve mental function.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Viagra's Other Uses
Viagra is now being used to treat not only erectile dysfunction (ED) but also pulmonary hypertension. And the drug may have potential for treating several other conditions, according to a recent report. The three ED medications currently on the market—Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis—all work by the same means, and they have similar side effects.
The most common are headaches and facial flushing, which occur in 15% of men. Other reactions include nasal congestion, indigestion, and back pain. These side effects are mild and temporary. The most important worry about ED pills is their ability to widen arteries enough to lower blood pressure. And men who are taking nitrates should never use any of the ED pills.
Although some of the drugs’ side effects may be troublesome, others may be helpful, and scientists are studying whether ED pills might help treat a variety of nonsexual problems. Viagra (sildenafil) has been on the market longest and is most studied. It’s yet not clear if the other ED pills offer similar benefits, but Viagra, at least, may prove useful for some other conditions, including these:
Pulmonary hypertension
Viagra is now marketed under the name Revatio for this uncommon but serious disorder of high pressure in the blood vessels
leading to the lungs.
Mountain sickness
Viagra can reduce pulmonary artery pressure at high altitude and improve the ability to exercise in low oxygen conditions.
Raynaud’s phenomenon
In affected individuals, exposure to the cold triggers spasm of the small arteries that supply blood to the fingers, toes, or both, which become pale, cold, and painful. Both Viagra and Levitra have been helpful in clinical trials.
Heart disease
Studies suggest Viagra might help patients with congestive heart failure or diastolic dysfunction.
Further details are published in the August 2007 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch.
The most common are headaches and facial flushing, which occur in 15% of men. Other reactions include nasal congestion, indigestion, and back pain. These side effects are mild and temporary. The most important worry about ED pills is their ability to widen arteries enough to lower blood pressure. And men who are taking nitrates should never use any of the ED pills.
Although some of the drugs’ side effects may be troublesome, others may be helpful, and scientists are studying whether ED pills might help treat a variety of nonsexual problems. Viagra (sildenafil) has been on the market longest and is most studied. It’s yet not clear if the other ED pills offer similar benefits, but Viagra, at least, may prove useful for some other conditions, including these:
Pulmonary hypertension
Viagra is now marketed under the name Revatio for this uncommon but serious disorder of high pressure in the blood vessels
leading to the lungs.
Mountain sickness
Viagra can reduce pulmonary artery pressure at high altitude and improve the ability to exercise in low oxygen conditions.
Raynaud’s phenomenon
In affected individuals, exposure to the cold triggers spasm of the small arteries that supply blood to the fingers, toes, or both, which become pale, cold, and painful. Both Viagra and Levitra have been helpful in clinical trials.
Heart disease
Studies suggest Viagra might help patients with congestive heart failure or diastolic dysfunction.
Further details are published in the August 2007 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch.
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