What Does Sildenafil Do? Proven Benefits

Viagra has been prescribed more than 30-50% of men all over the world. This is because ED is a very common issue in men of an older age.

What is Sildenafil Used For?

Viagra is a type of prescription medication that is most commonly known as Viagra. This medication is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). Since sildenafil was approved as a pharmaceutical in the 1990s, millions of men have been able to increase both their sexual confidence as well as functionality.

What other uses can be achieved from taking sildenafil? How does the body handle sildenafil? How does sildenafil work in the first place?

What Does Sildenafil Do?

Viagra is part of a medicine group called PDE5 inhibitors. It works by blocking an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), which is responsible for regulating blood flow in the penis.

During sexual stimulation, the body releases a chemical called nitric oxide. This chemical is responsible for the relaxation of blood vessel walls, including the blood vessels of the penis. This ED medication works by blocking the enzyme responsible for breaking down cyclic GMP, which results in:

• The widening of blood vessels
• Increased blood flow
• An easier and more sustainable erection

This PDE 5 inhibitor is not a medicine that will automatically give an erection. An erection will still need sexual stimulation to occur.

Generally, the effects of Viagra take about 30 – 60 minutes to take effect, and the effects can last for up to 4 hours (this does not mean that the erection will be sustained for 4 hours.

Other Uses for Sildenafil

It is usually associated with the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), but it has a number of other approved medical uses. One such more prominent medical use of sildenafil is for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

This is a medical condition characterized by extremely elevated blood pressure in the lungs. With PAH, sildenafil causes the relaxation of the blood vessels in the lungs. This results in improved blood flow and reduced strain on the heart.

This drug has been shown to improve the exercise capability of PAH patients and help alleviate symptoms of breathlessness.

Explored Uses for Sildenafil

Various other possible uses of this ED medication have been studied. Some of these uses may have potential but most has not been approved or recommended on any standard guidelines.

Does Sildenafil Help with Blood Pressure?

Viagra does help lower systemic blood pressure a bit, but that is not the purpose of the medication.

In normotensive (healthy) patients, the blood pressure-lowering effect of viagra is trivial. However, the combination of sildenafil and any nitrate or antihypertensive drug may lead to profound and life-threatening hypotension. Therefore, the use of sildenafil should always be preceded by a thorough medical assessment.

Is Viagra Helpful for Heart Problems?

It’s effects on the vasculature often raise concerns regarding its use in patients with cardiovascular diseases. For patients with stable coronary heart disease, sildenafil is safe as long as they are not on nitrates. Some studies even suggest that viagra may improve cardiac performance in some patients, but sildenafil is not a treatment for ischemic heart disease.

Men with significant myocardial disease should be very carefully evaluated prior to the use of sildenafil.

Can Viagra Treat Premature Ejaculation?

This medication is used to treat erectile dysfunctions, but not PE (premature ejaculation).

Some studies have shown that some men with both ED and PE have been able to gain some improved sexual confidence and perform longer while having also received proper treatment for ED. However, this is not an approved claim for PE.

Does Sildenafil Help with Jet-Lag?

Jet-lag occurs when your body’s internal clock is misaligned with your current time zone and is a result of crossing time zone boundaries. There is some research (but not a lot) to support that there is an effect of sildenafil on circadian shifts, but it is not recommended or approved for this purpose, and there is no evidence to suggest that sildenafil is an effective treatment for jet-lag.

Light, sleep, and water are the main therapeutic treatments for jet-lag, not medications- including sildenafil.

Is Viagra an Athletic Performance Enhancer?

Because sildenafil increases blood flow some people think it might improve athletic performance.

Some research is available to support that it does improve performance, but it is mostly inconclusive. Some small studies to support this claim, but healthy adults at sea level (as opposed to those at high altitudes) have not shown that it is effective.

Thus, it is not approved to be used as a performance enhancing sport drug.

Safety Considerations

It is considered relatively safe and mild side effects, such as:

• Headaches
• Flushing
• Indigestion
• Stuffed Nose
• Temporary changes to vision

Other severe side effects such as sudden loss of vision, sudden loss of hearing, and medical emergencies such as having an erection for over four hours are extremely rare.

This ED medication should not be taken by people who:

• Are taking nitrate medications
• Have severe heart disease and have not been medically cleared
• Have certain medical conditions related to low and high blood pressure
• Have specific medical conditions related to the eyes

Since erectile dysfunction can sometimes be a symptom of cardiovascular disease, a medical evaluation is recommended before the use of the drug.

Final Thoughts

At its most basic, what is sildenafil used for? It relaxes the blood vessels and increases blood flow.

The result is that men who have erectile dysfunction are capable of achieving stronger and reliable erections once there is sexual stimulation. Additionally, It is not only used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

It also helps to manage pulmonary arterial hypertension and continues to be investigated for possible medical uses. It is, however, not a medication that should be used without a doctor’s prescription.

It is also one of the more widely used medication in men’s health. When used appropriately, it does significantly improve a patient’s quality of life, and also significantly improve the confidence of the patient.