Sildenafil

Sildenafil is a medication used to treat impotence. Its full name is sildenafil citrate and it is sold to the public as Viagra. It is designed to increase blood flow into the penis, after arousal, making it easier for men to maintain a longer lasting, firm erection.

Sildenafil is also used in a different dose to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. It was first sold on the market as Viagra in 1998, and was only available on prescription. It can now be bought over-the-counter at certain pharmacies in the UK, if you have a short consult with a pharmacist.

So how does it work?

To understand how sildenafil works, it's first worth understanding the processes used by the body to get an erection. When a man becomes aroused, signals are sent from the brain via the nervous system that release chemical messengers into the tissues of the penis. One of the messengers that is released is a nucleotide called cGMP.

This particular messenger, cGMP, actually causes the blood vessels in the penis to widen, which allows more blood into the penis so that a man can get an erection. Normally, cGMP is broken down by another chemical in the body called phospodiesterase 5. This would then cause the blood vessels to return to there normal state, minimising blood flow into the penis. This would occur at the end of an erection.

Men suffering from erectile dysfunction experience shorter lasting erections, flaccidity and sometimes premature ejaculation. It helps by inhibiting the chemical that breaks down cGMP. In doing so, cGMP continues to work to open and widen the blood vessels leading into the penis, increasing blood flow into the area. This means that an erection will be harder and longer lasting.

Important facts about sildenafil

It's important to remember that this treatment only works if a man is sexually aroused, as the chemicals that it acts on it only released into the body after arousal. It lasts within the body for up to four hours, and only takes about an hour to be active in the blood. It cannot be taken more than once a day, and should not be taken daily. Viagra is available on prescription or over the counter. If you think you have erectile dysfunction, chat to one of our doctors to get a better diagnosis and treatment advice.