Viagra is the most famous impotence pill in the world. This drug came onto the market in the 1990s and has been used to treat erection problems in men ever since. The active ingredients in viagra have a positive effect on blood circulation to the penis, which serves to cause an easier erection that lasts longer.
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What is viagra?
Viagra is the trade name for a blue tablet made from Sildenafil. This drug is prescribed to temporarily alleviate the problem of erectile dysfunction or impotence in men. After taking viagra, men with erectile dysfunction manage to have an erection and maintain it as long as there is sexual arousal.
However, not all men who take viagra will get an erection just by taking the pill. In order for a man to get an erection after taking viagra, he must meet the condition of being sexually aroused.
What is viagra for
Although viagra is known worldwide as a drug that helps men with erectile dysfunction problems, medical research has found other possible uses that would make it a versatile active ingredient.
Viagra works for erectile dysfunction
Viagra allows many male victims of erectile dysfunction to get an erection as a natural consequence of sexual arousal. When a man is sexually aroused, viagra helps him by improving the blood supply to the penis. In this way, the sexual organ will be filled with enough blood for the man to achieve the expected erection.
How long does the effect of viagra last
The effect of viagra begins to appear around 30 to 60 minutes after ingesting the dose recommended by the doctor. After this “viagra activation time”, the effect persists for about 5 more hours. However, once sexual intercourse has come to an end and ejaculation has been achieved, the erection should go away.
Viagra for the brain
When researchers from an Argentine university administered a group of hamsters, the results were surprising. Apparently, the active ingredient in viagra, sildenafil, favorably interferes with the control of the internal clock. The scientists administered the drug to the animals and shortened their rest period. Later, when their sleep was interrupted prematurely, the rodents behaved as if they had completely rested.
Viagra serves as a memory medication
Several studies suggest that viagra could also be a good drug for treating memory problems. Although it is not entirely clear how the effect is achieved, progress indicates that it is possible. Researchers claim that the substance that dilates blood vessels in men also increases blood flow and introduces more glucose into the brain.
Viagra works for diabetics
The effect that viagra has on glucose also caught the attention of researchers, who see it as a potential drug for diabetes. Researchers from a Mexican medical institution conducted a study in this regard and found positive short-term effects in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Viagra for hypertensive
Sildenafil, the active substance in viagra, is also available as a blood pressure medicine. Even if you don’t use the same name, the active ingredient is the same and the effects are the same. Therefore, low-dose viagra is used to treat hypertensive patients.
How does viagra work
The main mechanism of action of this drug is a significant increase in blood flow to the penis. This is one of the basic conditions for a natural erection to take place in men. The other necessary condition for an erection of the male genital organ to occur is that there is sexual arousal. Viagra, by having a positive effect on the natural mechanisms to enable an erection, became the powerful tablet.
It is necessary to emphasize that viagra is not a drug that helps increase male libido. In other words, it does not cause the appearance, nor does it favor the increase of sexual desire as such. The action of the tablets “against impotence” is only based on the local increase in blood flow in the corpus cavernosum of the penis.
Until the invention of viagra, erectile dysfunction patients underwent psychotherapy treatments, but these rarely worked. Unfortunately, there was no alternative therapy that would shed light on the bleak life of men without erections. After the problem was found to be due to the narrowing of the tiny vessels in the penis, the situation changed.
How to take viagra
Before using viagra, it is recommended that a doctor establish the doses for consumption. Generally, doctors offer the following indications for taking viagra:
- Take viagra orally with or without food. Viagra may not work as fast if taken with a high-fat meal.
- Usually, viagra is taken about 1 hour before sexual activity. The doctor will instruct the patient about the best way to take viagra.
- Do not take more than the recommended dose or more often than once a day. It should be tried to take according to how it was indicated by the doctor.
- If a dose of viagra was missed and sexual intercourse is possible, the pill should be taken as soon as possible. After this, it should continue to be taken as directed by the doctor.
Viagra dosage
For most patients, the recommended dose is 50 mg taken as needed. The indicated time is approximately 1 hour before sexual activity. However, viagra can be taken between 4 hours and 0.5 hours before sexual activity. Based on the efficacy and tolerance of the patient, the dose can be increased to a maximum recommended dose of 100 mg or reduced to 25 mg. The maximum recommended dosing frequency is once a day.
Side effects of viagra
All medications can cause side effects, however they do not usually occur in everyone. If any of the following most common side effects persist or become intolerable while taking viagra, a doctor should be consulted:
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Blush
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Nasal congestion
- Stomach ache
Immediate medical attention should also be sought if the patient experiences any of the following serious side effects:
- Serious allergic reactions, such as skin rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Memory loss
- Numbness in an arm or leg
- Weakness on only one side
- Painful or prolonged erection
- Ringing in the ears
- Seizures
- Severe or persistent dizziness
- Severe or persistent changes in vision
- Sudden decrease or loss of hearing
- Sudden decrease or loss of vision in one or both eyes.
This is not a complete list of all the side effects that can occur. Therefore, if there are other side effects, it is important to relate them to taking viagra, stop taking it, and consult your doctor.
Origin of viagra
Initially, this drug was synthesized as a possible solution for problems with blood flow in the myocardium, in 1992. However, during tests with patients, the desired effect was not obtained, at least for the heart problem. Researchers discovered to their amazement that this drug had a pronounced effect on blood flow in the pelvic area.
This is how what is considered the third greatest medical achievement of the 20th century was discovered. The creation of viagra comes after penicillin and X-rays. Viagra is the first tablet drug that is considered effective for most men with erection disorders. Thanks to this, the researchers who created this miraculous pill were awarded the Noble Prize for Medicine in 1998.
Conclusion on the usefulness of viagra
Without a doubt, viagra is an excellent alternative for men who have erection problems and although it does not solve all the difficulties related to erectile dysfunction, this achievement of medicine is considered the miracle drug by millions of patients who returned to feel the joy of a powerful erection.
Dr. Samantha Robson ( CRN: 0510146-5) is a nutritionist and website content reviewer related to her area of expertise. With a postgraduate degree in Nutrition from The University of Arizona, she is a specialist in Sports Nutrition from Oxford University and is also a member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.