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eDrugstore.MD | Men's Health Information Center


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Men’s Health Center

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction, commonly referred to as ED, is the inability to regularly achieve and sustain an erection suitable for sexual intercourse. This condition is not considered normal at any age and is different from other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation and orgasm. If an erection cannot be achieved at least 50% of the time, this generally indicates there is a problem that requires treatment.

There are currently three U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications available for erectile dysfunction:

Viagra

The FDA approved Viagra (sildenafil citrate) for public use in 1998. Since then, the manufacturer of Viagra (Pfizer) has continued to keep a stronghold on the erectile-dysfunction medication market - although Cialis and Levitra have combined to take almost half of the worldwide ED-drug revenue away from Pfizer.

Prior to Viagra, adult males who suffered from ED had no treatment options. Suddenly, men of all ages who suffered from forms of impotency were able to treat their ailment and revive their sex lives. In clinical test studies, more than 70% of adult males who suffered from impotency or ED reported significant progress when using Viagra. The medication will also work for most men who suffer from an illness such as diabetes.

Like Cialis and Levitra, Viagra works by rapidly entering the bloodstream following oral ingestion, and targeting and disabling the PDE5 enzymes that regulate blood flow to the shaft of the penis. When these PDE5 enzymes are disabled, the arteries that constrict to restrict blood flow to the shaft of the penis relax, allowing the patient to achieve a sustained erection upon sexual stimulation.

Cialis

Cialis entered the market in 2003 and is the longest-lasting oral therapy treatment for ED. The active ingredients in Cialis stay in a male’s body for a longer period of time than those in Viagra or Levitra. Therefore, men are provided a window of opportunity that lasts from 24-36 hours. This more natural and spontaneous approach to sex is the reason Cialis has been called ED’s version of the "Weekend Pill."

Levitra

Levitra also became available to the public in 2003, and was welcomed with open arms by many adult males who suffered from ED. Levitra has touted the fact that it can work faster for many men, and lasts a litter longer than Viagra. Many ED patients discovered that Levitra worked better than Viagra.

Note to ED Medication Users

It is always best to consult with your local physician before beginning to take any new prescription medication. ED Drugs should not be taken with medications of substances that contain nitrates, as this could cause a sudden and potentially fatal drop in blood pressure. There are additional side effects with ED drugs, although most are not as severe (the most popular ones include indigestion/upset stomach, facial flushing, stuffy or runny nose, back or muscle aches, headaches and altered vision).

Hair Loss

Hair loss, or alopecia, is the medical term for hair loss. Alopecia does not refer to one specific hair loss disease – any form of hair loss is an alopecia. The word alopecia is Latin, but can be traced to the Greek "alopekia," which itself comes from alopek, meaning "fox." Literally translated, the word alopecia (alopekia) is the term for mange in foxes.

Hair loss can be caused by any number of conditions, from genetics to drugs to diseases. Most often baldness is genetically inherited and passed down from generation to generation. The primary culprit in causing hair loss is DHT (dihydrotesterone) which can cause the hair follicles in the scalp to shrink and close up, losing the hair that they grow.

While androgenetic alopecia (male or female pattern baldness, AGA for short) is by far the most common form of hair loss, dermatologists also see many other forms. Several hundred diseases have hair loss as a primary symptom.

Propecia

Millions of men will lose their hair this year and begin to consider how they will react to male pattern-baldness. For those who wish to stop the balding, and even find a way to re-grow some of the hair they have lost, Propecia is highly likely to provide very effective results.

Propecia (finasteride) is the only FDA-approved drug currently available to treat male pattern-baldness. The medication has been shown to have an astounding 90% patient success rate in medical trials. In fact, 2 out of 3 adults who take Propecia will experience significant hair growth within 6-to-12 months. Propecia blocks and disables DHT and, over time, new hair will re-grow in places where it was lost, and the pattern of balding will cease.

You do not have to lose another hair. There is treatment, and it requires you to take only one small pill a day.

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