Impotence Treatment Options

Impotence or Erectile Dysfunction is defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for mutually satisfying intercourse. Both terms Impotence and Erectile Dysfunction are used interchangeably throughout this website.

The incidence of impotence correlates with an individuals age impotence effects some 67% of men by the age of 70 years old. Impotence impacts more than a man's sexual activity. The emotions and uncertainties that coincide with this condition often have a significant effect on a man's self-esteem, as well as, his relationship with his partner. Although the incidence of impotence increases with age, it is not an inevitable result of aging.

Times have changed, previously individuals who sought medical treatment for impotence were told "It's all in your head". Doctors labeled these individuals with a psychological disorder and they were referred to counseling. Today, secondary to the abundance of quality impotence treatment options available including impotence drugs doctors are addressing the causes of erectile dysfunction and are treating these causes appropriately.

For a comprehensive summary of the most effective impotence treatment options available including detailed comparisons of the most popular impotence treatment drugs, Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, Uprima (click here for details).

The following represents a summary of the more popular impotence treatment options on the market today:

Impotence Treatment Drugs

Cialis Impotence Treatment Drug
Viagra Impotence Treatment Drug
Uprima Impotence Treatment Drug
Levitra Impotence Treatment Drug

Additional Impotence Treatment Options


Cialis Impotence Treatment

Cialis represents a new class of impotence drugs known as PDE-5 inhibitors for impotence treatment. These impotence drugs are used to treat impotence. Cialis has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of impotence and is already available in pharmacies throughout Europe.

In technical terms Cialis impotence treatment exerts its action by effecting two enzymes, Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) that play important roles in erectile function. Sexual stimulation triggers the local release of nitric oxide (NO) from nerves and endothelial cells in the penis. NO stimulates an enzyme that catalyzes formation of cGMP from the nucleotide guanosine 5-triphospate (GTP) in the penile blood vessels and corpus cavernosum walls.

The cGMP causes vasodilation of arteries, allowing the influx of blood into the corpus cavernosum. Increased blood flow into the penis causes the erectile tissue to expand. When the erectile tissue has expanded sufficiently, the veins draining the corpus cavernosum become compressed. This decreases the outflow of blood from the penis, and the blood remains in the corpus cavernosum to keep the penis erect. The enzyme PDE5 eventually causes degradation of the cGMP, and the erection ends (view the Cialis mechanism of action diagram for impotence treatment {click here for details}).

Cialis represents a prescription impotence treatment drug. Cialis was shown in numerous clinical studies to significantly enhance erections for up to 36 hours following the initial dose. During these clinical studies, some men reported improved erections as quick as thirty minutes after taking Cialis. The impotence treatment medication, Cialis, is being called the "weekender" because men only have to take one dose of Cialis for an entire weekend of impotence treatment.

Cialis Impotence Treatment Facts:

• Cialis has been called the "weekender" individuals can take the medication Friday afternoon and have enhanced erections for the entire weekend, up to thirty-six hours
   

• Cialis works quickly, most men report enhanced erections within thirty minutes of taking Cialis.
   

• Cialis has now been approved in both Europe and the United States for impotence treatment.

Cialis is unique from other impotence treatment drugs including Viagra, Uprima, and Levitra in the length of time the medication exerts its positive effects of enhancing male erections. Most of the men during clinical studies stated that they had enhanced erections for a period of twenty-four to thirty-six hours following a single dose of Cialis.

"Cialis has the potential to be a valuable new treatment option for men with impotence symptoms and their partners," said Dr. Harin Padma-Nathan, urologist and lead investigator of the study. "A therapy that allows a man with impotence to engage in intercourse within a 36-hour window permits the couple to regain spontaneity in their sexual relationship."

Viagra Impotence Drug

Viagra® (Sildenafil Citrate) has change the course of impotence treatment. Doctors, as well as, patients were so enthusiastic about the impotence treatment drug. In the first six months alone, Pfizer's sales of Viagra, the blue diamond shaped tablet, topped 50 million. Viagra® is dispensed as a pill and ingested orally. Approximately 30-60 minutes later Viagra is absorbed into the bloodstream and begins to enhance erections.

Viagra (sildenafil citrate) has change the course of male impotence treatment. The physiologic mechanism of erection of the penis involves release of nitric oxide in the corpus cavernosum during sexual stimulation. Nitrous Oxide then activates the enzyme guanylate cyclase, which results in increased levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), producing smooth muscle relaxation in the corpus cavernosum and allowing inflow of blood. Viagra has no direct relaxant effect on isolated human corpus cavernosum, but enhances the effect of nitric oxide (NO) by inhibiting phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), which is responsible for degradation of cGMP in the corpus cavernosum. When sexual stimulation causes local release of NO, inhibition of PDE5 by Viagra causes increased levels of cGMP in the corpus cavernosum, resulting in smooth muscle relaxation and inflow of blood to the corpus cavernosum (view the Viagra mechanism of action diagram as an impotence cure {click here for details}).

How does Viagra rate with regards to the long term treatment of impotence?

The following graph depicts how men rate the long term use of Viagra as an impotence treatment:


Rarely has there ever been so much enthusiasm surrounding a prescription drug. Some ninety-five percent of men are still enthusiastic about their enhanced erections while using the Viagra, even after using the impotence treatment medication for some five years.

Uprima Impotence Treatment

Uprima (apomorphine) represents one of the most recent impotence treatment drugs on the market designed to help enhance a man's erection. Uprima is the first clinically tested sublingual drug to enhance erections by activating chemicals found in the brain.

Uprima impotence drug is unique in that the tablets are dissolved under the tongue which stimulate dopamine receptors in the hypothalamus and mid brain regions. Hence, once sexual stimulation as occurred an excitatory signal is transmitted via the spinal cord to stimulate parasympathetic activity in the pelvic region that results in smooth muscle relaxation in the walls of the arteries supplying the penis. Subsequently, the relaxation of walls of the penis arteries allows the arteries to expand so more blood can flow to the region, resulting in enhanced erections (view the Uprima mechanism of action diagram as an impotence medication {click here for details}).

Uprima is a unique impotence drug in that it works through the central nervous system, producing a series of events that enhances the ability to achieve and maintain an erection. Uprima is administered sublingually (under the tongue) allowing the medication to bypass the gastro-intestinal tract. This allows for a rapid absorption of the medication allowing men to achieve and erection typically under 20 minutes.

"Uprima offers several benefits for patients: it works fast, and it works similarly to the way men normally have erections," said Prof. Jeremy Heaton, of Queen's University and Kingston General Hospital, Ontario, Canada. "Long- term data in men who continued in studies demonstrate that Uprima is successful in more than 90 percent of attempts at intercourse."

Levitra Impotence Treatment

Levitra (vardenafil) mechanism of action is very similar to Viagra as an impotence treatment. Although Viagra was the first of the so called, "PDE-5 inhibitors" Levitra impotencen drug represents a relatively new drug in this same class to significantly help men treat their impotence symptoms. Similar to Viagra, Levitra increases the quantity of blood supplied to the penis thus enhancing the erection. Levitra is different than other impotence drugs, in that, Levitra is very selective in inhibiting the PDE-5 without affecting other isoenzymes. This allows a smaller dose of Levitra to have a more pronounced effect as a larger dose of Viagra (the standard dose of Levitra dose is 10mg while the standard dose of Viagra dose is 50mg). Through this action, smooth muscle in the penis remains relaxed for a longer period. This allows for increased blood flow into the cavernous tissue of the penis thereby enhancing erections.

Levitra impotence drug is a potent and selective inhibitor of the cGMP specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), the most prominent PDE in the human corpus cavernosum or the cylinders that outline the penis allowing for an erection (view the Levitra mechanism of action diagram as an impotence treatment {click here for details}).

In conclusion, Levitra enhances the effect of endogenous nitric oxide in the corpus cavernosum by inhibiting PDE5 for impotence treatment. When nitric oxide is released secondary to sexual stimulation, inhibition of PDE5 by Levitra results in increased corpus cavernosum levels of cGMP. Sexual stimulation is required for Levitra to produce its beneficial therapeutic effects.

Impotence Treatment With Penile Injections

Penile Injections - as an impotence treatment uses a hypodermic needle to inject medicine (mixture of papaverine, phentolamine and prostaglandin) into the side of the penis.

The drug treats the cause of impotencen by relaxing the smooth muscle tissue of the penis allowing for an erection. Side effects associated with impotence injections include the following: the actual injections can be painful, resulting in scare tissue formation at the injection site, cause priapism (prolonged and painful engorgement of the penis). Penile injections are available through Pharmacia and Upjohn (Caverjet) and Scharz Pharma, Inc (EDEX) at approximately £18.00 per dose.


Impotence Treatment Using Vacuum Therapy

Vacuum Therapy - for impotence treatment works by placing a cylinder with an attached pump over the penis. The pump creates a vacuum in the cylinder, which pulls blood into the penis to create an erection. The cylinder is then removed while simultaneously a constriction band is placed at the base of the penis. Vacuum therapy can enhance erections for up to fifteen to thirty minutes, these devices range from £100.00-£200.00 and can be purchased through Mentor Urology, POST-T-VAC, Inc.

This type of impotence treatment is very cumbersome and is not very effective in correcting impotence problems. Most men complain that once the vacuum is removed their erection tends to returns to a flaccid state in just a few minutes, unlike the advertised fifteen to thirty minutes.


Impotence Treatment With Urethral Inserts

Muse Urethral Inserts - acts as an eimpotence treatment by using a disposable applicator, small enough to fit into the urethra (small opening at the end of the penis). The applicator is inserted into the urethra approximately one inch and the medication (prostaglandin E-1) is released. As a result, an erection occurs lasting some thirty to sixty minutes. Patient acceptance is still an issue secondary to expense and the low success rate as compared to other impotence treatments. The inserts are available through the pharmaceutical company Vivus Inc.

Impotence Treatment Using Hormonal Therapy

Hormonal Therapy - as an impotence treatment is used to treat only the small percentage of men who have abnormally low levels of testosterone. During the initial consultation a physician will likely order hormone tests (LH and Prolactin) first to exclude other causes of low testosterone levels. If appropriate, testosterone is available in a transdermal adhesive patch. The patch is available through Androderm (SmithKline Beecham) and Testroderm (Alza Pharmaceuticals), at a cost of £20.00 per patch.

Only men with low testosterone levels report significantly enhanced erections using testosterone hormone replacement therapy.


Impotence Treatment With Penile Implants

Penile Implants - for the treatment of impotence problems requires surgical insertion of a prosthetic device. Currently, there are three forms of penile prosthesis on the market: flexible, malleable and inflatable. Flexible or Malleable rods consist of two semi-rigid, flexible rods which make the penis firm enough for intercourse.

There are also inflatable prosthetic devices that allow men to produce a more natural erection. Men with these prosthetic devices squeeze a pump (located in the scrotum), this in turn inflates a cylinder creating an erection. Following intercourse, the pump is released and the penis return becomes flaccid. These devices have been associated with postoperative infections, mechanical failure, silicon particle shedding and the risk of the initial surgery. Penile prosthetics are available through Mentor Urology.


Impotence Treatment With Herbal Supplements

Herbal Supplements - as an impotence treatment. Men interested in treating their impotence with herbal supplements should use a supplement that contains a combination of the following ingredients: Yohimbe (bark), Maca (root), Horny Goat Weed (leaf), Saw Palmetto (berry), Schizandra (berry), Guarana (seed) Tribulus Terrestris (aerial part), Ashwagandha (root), Asparagus Racemosus (aerial part), Ginger (root) Cayenne Pepper (berry), L Tyrosine, and L Histidine. The Physicians Select Herbal Viagra formula has all of these natural herbs plus a large dose of Yohimbe, the most effective herbal impotence treatment.

Impotence Treatment With Psychotherapy and/or Behavioral Therapy

Psychotherapy and/or Behavioral Therapy - have been found to be beneficial in some men for the treatment of eimpotence. Frequently, there are underlying psychosocial factors that attribute to impotence symptoms. Psychotherapy and/or behavioral therapy may be helpful in individuals whom no organic cause for impotence has been detected. Therapy will focuses on complications surrounding performance anxiety, dysfunctional relationships, loss of a partner, psychotic disorders, substance abuse, etc.

Men who have impotence complications secondary to a recent divorce or a loss of a long time partner will often benefit from Psychotherapy and/or Behavioral Therapy

Impotence Treatment Using Vascular Surgery

Vascular Surgery - for impotence treatment may involve both the arterial and venous systems. Venous ligation has been reported to be effective in patients with venous leakage. However, it is often difficult to diagnose men with this condition given our current testing strategies; therefore, it is difficult to predict a positive outcome prior to surgery. Arterial re-vasculation procedures are limited to congenital or traumatic vascular abnormalities. Similar to venous testing, complete standardization diagnostic testing has not been established, therefore difficulties persists in predicting surgical results for this type of impotence treatment.

Individuals should do substantial and thorough research to find a Urologist in his geographic area that specializes in these procedures.

Still have unanswered question concerning the most appropriate Male Impotence Treatment?

 

 

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is Viagra, Cialis, Levitra or Uprima the correct impotence treatment or should you use another impotence treatment option?

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