Health Tips for a Better Life

Is it safe for men with high blood pressure to take viagra?

As men getting older, their arteries become less flexible and blood pressure rises. This problem is aggravated by obesity, too much cholesterol in the blood, diabetes, kidney disease, and so on. Viagra works by allowing arteries to dilate. For those with erectile dysfunction, this is a good thing because dilation allows more blood to flow into the penis and creates an erection. But if more arteries are affected, blood flows more rapidly around the body and this causes a drop in blood pressure. Viagra is designed to be reasonably specific, i.e. only to affect the penis. But if you are also taking one of the drugs designed to reduce blood pressure, e.g. ACE inhibitors, diuretics, alphablockers, etc., it was suggested the interaction could produce a more rapid drop in pressure which might be dangerous.

The question, obviously, is short: “how dangerous?” In 2002, the drug companies ran a full clinical trial to find out. Men with high blood pressure were invited to participate and took both Viagra and one of the other medications used to treat hypertension. Over time, less than 3% of the participants stopped taking the viagra. Indeed, some 75% found their erections improved without any side effect. The problem with a clinical trial is that this is one group of participants asked to report how they feel on a sensitive issue. It does not mean that viagra is safe for every man. So, if you have high blood pressure, viagra is probably safe and, more importantly, the improvement in sexual performance makes any actual side effects acceptable. But you should monitor the situation and, if you do experience problems, discuss them with your doctor. Remember, there is clear evidence that combining viagra with a nitrate is dangerous. This drug is usually prescribed to treat heart disease. Finally, you should take life easy for six months after a stroke or heart attack.

Can diabetics take viagra?

Diabetes can damage the nerve endings in different parts of the body. This interferes with the way in the body feels things and can cause erectile dysfunction. There have been a number of trials to measure the effectiveness of viagra among men with diabetes. To ensure a scientific result, the men were not told whether they were using viagra or a placebo. Some were allowed to change the dosage up or down from the standard 50 mg.

Taking all the trials together, none of the men reduced the dosage. The majority taking the standard or a higher dosage reported an improvement in their ability to achieve penetration and maintained the erection over time. Some 60% achieved significantly better levels of sexual satisfaction. This is a good performance from a group suffering nerve damage that cannot be cured. Only about 2% of the participants stopped using cheap viagra because of adverse side effects. The most common problem was feeling thirsty which was easily resolved by drinking water. More serious side effects were rare. A few suffered hypo- or hyperglycemic events, and one or two found their eyesight was affected.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) or male impotence as it is usually referred to is a health condition when a man is unable to produce or maintain an erection suitable for successful sexual intercourse. It is not commonly discussed as compared to other health issues, but it is quite common, affecting about 10% of men regardless of age and race.

Common causes of erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by a large variety of factors, which may be divided into three main groups:psychological, physical, and pharmaceutical.

1. Psychological factors are the primary cause for ED, and include such conditions as stress, depression, anxiety relationship issues, insomnia, etc. 2. Physical factors causing impotence are connected to the four major health issues:

• Blood flow influencing conditions such as various heart diseases, blood pressure issues, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, etc. (this factor can be significantly reduced by medications like Cialis)
• Nervous system issues, such as spinal diseases, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, tumors, etc.
• Hormonal balance disorders, including hypogonadism, thyroid issues, and Cushing’s syndrome
• Structural deformations in the penile area, such as Peyronie’s disease, and hypospadias

3. Some medications can cause erectile dysfunction as a side-effect. Usually the effect wears off after you stop taking the drug, so don’t rush taking Cialis or other ED medications if that’s the cause. Here are some of the most common medications know to cause male impotence:

• Diuretics – these medications are used to induce urination, and are usually prescribed for treating hear failure, high blood pressure, and kidney disease
• Beta-blockers – these drugs act as anti-hypertension drugs, lowering the blood pressure.
• Fibrates – medications for reducing cholesterol levels
• Antipsychotics – these medications are used to treat severe psychiatric disorders
• Antidepressants – drugs used for treating depression symptoms
• Steroids – an entire class of medications used to treat a variety of health issues such steroid hormone deficiency, Aids and other conditions causing the decrease in muscle mass
• Immunosuppressants – drugs used to reduce the activity of the immune system
• H2-antagonists – medications prescribed for a variety of stomach acid related diseases.
• Anticonvulsants – drugs used in cases of epilepsy and bipolar disorders