5 risks of recreational use of Viagra

The recreational use of Viagra and other medications for erectile dysfunction in many circles has become trendy, chic, or fashionable; used not to get an erection, but to get a longer erection. However, there are some risks everybody should be aware of before engaging in this dangerous practice.

In Men’s App we have talked about “General recommendations to improve sexual performance” part 1 and part 2. Have a look at those two articles and follow the recommendations, which is better than exposing yourself to unnecessary risks.

Currently, on the market there are 4 approved medications to treat erectile dysfunction, all of which belong to a family of drugs called phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5 inhibitors):

Sildenafil (VIAGRA®): since becoming available in 1998, sildenafil has been the prime treatment for erectile dysfunction. Today there are many other trademarks selling sildenafil after the VIAGRA patent expired.

Tadalafil (CIALIS®).

Vardenafil (LEVITRA®).

Avanafil (STENDRA® in USA, SPEDRA® in Europe): the most recently FDA and EMA approved drug for erectile dysfunction.

All four are useful for treating impotence, although they have slight differences. We will talk in detail about them in Men’s App in an upcoming post. These drugs should never be used in a recreational way in men with no erectile dysfunction, only to get a longer erection. It is better to take them only if necessary and always under your doctor’s prescription! Here are 5 reasons against the recreational use of PDE5 inhibitors:

1. PDE5 inhibitors may have severe side effects and contraindications

Same as any kind of drug, Viagra and the other PDE5 inhibitors may have side effects:

Mild side effects are very common, including headache, flushing, upset stomach, blurred vision, stuffy or runny nose, muscle pain, nausea, dizziness, rash, etc.
Severe side effects are rare but they have been reported in a small number of patients. Sudden hearing loss, sudden blindness, or prolonged and painful erection are possible when taking medication for erectile dysfunction.

These side effects may be enhanced if mixing PDE5 inhibitors with club drugs such as ketamine and amyl nitrite. A 2011 survey on recreational use of erectile dysfunction medications published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior showed that 4% of college men admitted to using PDE5 inhibitors recreationally. Most mixed them with illegal drugs. This mixture is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal.

The main contraindication for PDE5 inhibitors is taking any other medicines called nitrates, often prescribed for chest pain, as this may cause a sudden, unsafe drop in blood pressure, leading in some cases to death. It is also contraindicated when cardiovascular risk is high, even if nitrates are not being taken. Cardiovascular risk is always assessed by your doctor before prescribing PDE5 inhibitors. If high risk is suspected, your doctor will recommend a cardiological checkup to make sure enhanced sexual activity is safe in your particular case. Do not by-pass your doctor’s counselling! Your doctor will check:

if you take medications for chest pain called nitrates
if you have active coronary heart disease
if you have congestive heart failure
if you have low blood pressure
if yo take medication for high blood pressure, seizures, HIV or blood thinners
if you have exercise intolerance

2. Recreational use of Viagra and other PDE5 inhibitors may decrease your self-confidence in the long-term

In an interesting study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, a group of recreational users reported lower erectile confidence and lower overall satisfaction compared with a group of nonusers. Both groups had equal erectile function levels. Frequent PDE5 inhibitors use was associated with less erectile confidence, which in turn showed negative relations with erectile function.

Men who take the drugs for longer and larger erections may find that they actually develop erectile dysfunction without the drugs. This could mean having to use more aggressive treatments like injections or implants to treat impotence in the future.

In conclusion, men taking PDE5 inhibitors with no erectile dysfunction may engage and put at risk the long-term loss of self-confidence and real erectile dysfunction.

3. Transient erectile dysfunction may become consistent impotence

In young adults, sometimes there is a fear of “going limp”. It is quite a normal thing to happen in some circumstances. In fact, up to 50% of men have already had or will have in the future a transient erectile dysfunction. If it is an isolated episode and not a chronic, consistent, and well established impotence, it should not prompt you to use PDE5 inhibitors. If you do, you could convert your transient erectile dysfunction in a consistent impotence.

At the age of 30-40 or earlier, arteries supplying blood to the penis have not had time enough to become too narrow, even if you have any of the vascular risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol or heavy smoking. In most cases there are no organic causes for erectile dysfunction and “going limp” is a psychogenic problem.

Some situations may lead you to losing the erection, such as anxiety. It is difficult to define a concrete profile for people having transient erectile dysfunction, but we could say it happens more often in men who are highly perfectionist, with a trend to excessive worrying, very self demanding and anxious in other areas of their lives. Experts say that in general high anxiety levels causes lower sexual performance.

Transient erectile dysfunction may also happen under circumstances other than anxiety levels:

Drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
Being fatigued after a hard day or after physical exercise.
Having stressful emotions or depressed humour.

4. Most of the PDE5 inhibitors sold on the black market are fake

Most of the PDE5 inhibitors sold online are fake and have far less of the active ingredient than the real thing. In an analysis of pills from 22 different websites claiming to sell the drug, researchers found 77% of samples were counterfeit and only contained between 30% and 50% of the levels of active ingredient advertised on the label.

A study published in the journal Current Drug Abuse Reviews in 2011 showed that the main reason for abuse of PDE5 inhibitors was the easy access to these drugs. The investigators searched for internet drug stores and found over six million hits at 7,000 internet pharmacies. According to the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites program only 4% of the sites were in proper compliance.

Today the black market is accessible to everybody and not only in websites . PDE5 inhibitors are already a “must have” for every sex shop in the world, and for every catalogue of marital aids. Of course, ordering PDE5 inhibitors online or buying them in a sex shop is always done without medical supervision.

5. PDE5 on the black market might not only be fake but also unsafe

The black market, apart from being a fraud in many cases, may also be dangerous by selling not only ineffective pills but also contaminated, expired, or unsafe to use.

That’s all for today’s post. Remember PDE5 inhibitors should be prescribed only after your doctor has made a thorough medical history and examination to diagnose the cause of the impotence / erectile dysfunction and other related factors, to rule out contraindications or high cardiovascular risk, and to discuss the potential risk of side effects. In conclusion, if you have ever been tempted to use Viagra or other PDE5 inhibitors recreationally to improve your sexual performance, you must take into account all the five points above, and always seek medical advice.

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5 risks of recreational use of Viagra, Is Recreational Use Of Viagra Dangerous.

5 risks of recreational use of Viagra

1. PDE5 inhibitors may have severe side effects and contraindications

2. Recreational use of Viagra and other PDE5 inhibitors may decrease your self-confidence in the long-term

3. Transient erectile dysfunction may become consistent impotence

4. Most of the PDE5 inhibitors sold on the black market are fake

5. PDE5 on the black market might not only be fake but also unsafe

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