Understanding ED Meds: A Guide For Men's Health

What is erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve, or maintain, an erection during sexual stimulation. It’s a very common condition, affecting around 18 million men in America alone. [1]

What causes erectile dysfunction?

There are a number of potential causes for erectile dysfunction, both physical and mental. Let’s explore the most common.

Physical causes

Blood flow and heart health issues - Because healthy blood flow is necessary to achieve an erection, conditions that affect your heart or blood can cause impotence. This includes high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and history of heart attack.

Diabetes - High blood sugar levels can lead to damaged blood vessels and nerves, which are essential for healthy sexual function.

Hormone imbalances - Low levels of testosterone or other hormonal issues can affect sexual function.

Neurological conditions - Diseases such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, or a history of stroke can interfere with the nerve signals that trigger an erection.

Substance abuse - Smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug use can cause blood flow issues or potentially damage nerves, which leads to erectile dysfunction.

Aging - As you age, erectile dysfunction becomes more likely — once you reach 40, there’s a 40% chance you’ll experience it, and this increases by 10% every decade. [2]

Psychological causes

Mental health issues - Stress, anxiety and depression can all lead to trouble with sexual arousal,  whether related to work, relationships, or other factors, can interfere with sexual arousal and libido, and lead to ED.

Relationship Issues - In some cases, erectile dysfunction is caused by problems between yourself and your sexual partner. In these instances, it’s best to seek relationship or sex therapy to improve your communication and resolve any conflicts.

Treatments for ED 

The most popular type of medication to treat ED is known as a PDE5 inhibitor. It works by relaxing the blood vessels at the base of your penis when you’re aroused, allowing more blood to flow through. This helps you achieve and maintain an erection.

Popular PDE5 inhibitor medications for erectile dysfunction

Viagra (Sildenafil)

Possibly the best known treatment for erectile dysfunction, Viagra, or ‘the little blue pill’, has been in use since the 1990s. The active ingredient in it is sildenafil, a type of PDE5 inhibitor. It can be taken an hour before sex, and stays in your system for 1-4 hours, helping you achieve an erection during that time period.

Cialis (Tadalafil)

Cialis is another PDE5 inhibitor, sometimes called ‘the weekend pill’, because of its long duration of action. The active ingredient, tadalafil, can help you treat erectile dysfunction over the course of 36 hours — that’s a day and a half, whenever you’re sexually stimulated. It’s available to take as-needed in doses of 10 mg or 20 mg, or as a daily pill of 2.5 mg or 5 mg, which helps you stay prepared for sex at all times. You can find out more about tadalafil doses here. 

Looking for treatments for erectile dysfunction? At ZipHealth, we offer FDA-approved medications, prescribed by licensed healthcare professionals. To learn more, start your free online consultation here.

References

[1] 18 Million Men in the United States Affected by Erectile Dysfunction | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health [Internet]. publichealth.jhu.edu. Available from: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2007/selvin-erectile-dysfunction

[2] Ferrini MG, Gonzalez-Cadavid NF, Rajfer J. Aging related erectile dysfunction—potential mechanism to halt or delay its onset. Translational Andrology and Urology [Internet]. 2017 Feb 1;6(1):20–7. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5313305/