Uprima Vs Viagra

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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: For more the nearly 30 million American men who suffer from erectile dysfunction, there may be a new option on the horizon.

CNN medical correspondent Holly Firfer joins us for more on a new drug intended to help — Holly.

HOLLY FIRFER, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Natalie, it’s called Uprima. It’s a drug being presented today to the FDA in hopes of approval. It’s being touted as an alternative to Viagra.

The way this drug works is similar to Viagra. The results are the same, but it acts a little differently on the body. Viagra, when taken orally, gets into the blood stream and travels to the genital area and dilates the blood vessels in the penis resulting in an erection. Uprima is also an oral medication, but initially it goes to the brain, specifically the hypothalamus, which releases dopamine. That chemical will travel through the nervous system, down the spinal cord to the blood vessels in the penis, and it will have — it will cause the same effect. The main difference between the two is really timing. Where Viagra will take usually about an hour to work, Uprima is much quicker: 15 to 30 minutes.

DR. EUGENE DULA, UROLOGIST: It gets absorbed into the bloodstream somewhat quicker. Viagra is a pill that you swallow so there’s — it depends on what you’ve eaten or how recently you’ve eaten. One of the advantages of Uprima is really doesn’t make a difference what you’ve eaten or when you’ve eaten: It still seems to work in about 15 to 20 minutes.

FIRFER: One thing to note: This drug, as well as Viagra, will give you the ability to have an erection, but it’s not a mood enhancer. So if you suffer from a lack of desire, these drugs are not going to really increase your libido. There are, however, other drugs on the market that will effect your mood — Natalie.

ALLEN: When will these drugs be available — the ones you talked about — the new one.

FIRFER: The Uprima is going through an advisory committee today. They’re expected to recommend it to the FDA that they approve the drug for use. But the FDA must first look at all the data and draw its own conclusion, and then they have 60 days to decide whether to give Uprima the green light. And if the FDA does give it the OK, it will depend on, really, how fast the manufacturer can distribute the drug.

ALLEN: Holly Firfer, thanks for joining us.