Erectile Dysfunction Pills: Precautions
No brand of
erectile dysfunction pill should be used more than once a day. Men who take nitrate-based drugs, such as nitroglycerin for heart problems, should not use an erectile dysfunction pill because the combination can cause a sudden drop in
blood pressure.
Also, tell your doctor if you take any drugs called alpha-blockers, which are used to treat an
enlarged prostate gland (
BPH) or
high blood pressure. If you do, your doctor may need to adjust the dosage of your erectile dysfunction pill. Taking an erectile dysfunction pill and an alpha-blocker at the same time (within 4 hours) can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure.
Other Erectile Dysfunction Pills
Oral testosterone can reduce erectile dysfunction in some men with low levels of natural testosterone, but it is often an ineffective erectile dysfunction pill and may cause liver damage.
Patients have also claimed that other erectile dysfunction pills -- including yohimbine hydrochloride, dopamine and serotonin agonists, and
trazodone -- are effective, but the results of scientific studies to verify these claims have been inconsistent. The improvements seen after using these types of erectile dysfunction pills may be examples of the placebo effect, that is, a change that results simply because the patient believes that an improvement will occur.