A long term health condition is never good news but sometimes, especially when we reach the age of not return (60 and over) and we are taking Sildenafil, we find that we cannot stop asking ourselves what are the long term effects of taking Sildenafil. We know that priapism is an effect of long duration if not treated properly but there may be others. It’s always good to know so read on and find out.
Sildenafil and the body
We all know that generic Sildenafil is the active ingredient of branded Viagra and right now it’s the most popular treatment for erectile dysfunction given under prescription prepared by a doctor.
Let’s enter a more exciting trail so this time we’ll go on a journey to try and discover the long term effects of this wonder drug treatment on the different systems of the body both physical and mental that include the:
Circulatory System
The natural phenomenon of an erection is by no means a simple process because it actually involves a series of smooth, finely tuned orchestrated events that is unique in itself.
For an erection to take place there must be a signal of arousal that originates in and disseminated from the brain. This signal focuses entirely on triggering a strong blood flow to the penis.
Inside the penis are two chambers called the corpora cavernosa. When sexual fondling occurs, nitric oxide (NO) is released in these two chambers. The NO triggers the enzyme guanylate cyclase to increase cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels which makes the muscles in the penis relax.
The two chambers of the penis are also filled by a web of blood vessels which, when relaxed become wide, allowing blood to stream in strongly. This copious blood flow is what causes an erection to take place.
What can interfere with the relaxing effect of cGMP that allows a copious blood flow, is the presence of PDE5 enzyme which regulates blood flow to the penis by not allowing too much blood flow to the penis.
This is where Sildenafil comes in with its inhibiting effect on the control that the PDE5 enzymes have on regulating the blood flow to the penis. It inhibits their control over blood flow and allows more blood to flow to the penis enabling plasma buildup to reach maximum levels within just one hour of taking the drug.
Because Sildenafil is not a cure but a temporary treatment, many men will take the drug over a long period of time in order to override their erectile dysfunction and engage in sexual activity.
Reproductive System
While Sildenafil may be viewed as a highly effective ED treatment it’s really not a magic pill. For one thing, it doesn’t bolster your sex drive or libido because you still need to be sexually aroused.
While Sildenafil’s effects can remain active for about 4 hours, it may last longer for 6 hours. Taking the drug may also trigger priapism which can be a very painful erection that lasts for a long time.
You should quickly seek medical help if you have an erection that lasts for more than 4 hours and you should also expect that if you have a deformed penis or Peyronie’s disease yourdoctor may not allow you to take Sildenafil.
So Sildenafil does have an effect on your reproductive system that may last over the long term especially if you’re suffering from Peyronie’s disease.
Central Nervous System
While blood flow to the penis may be improved from using Sildenafil, the brain still has the upper hand since it also regulates your psychological disposition especially your mood which can’t be touched by the drug treatment.
That said, the side effects of sildenafil can cause hiccups to your sensory perception system together with headache, nosebleed, blocked or runny nose. Some men who take PDE5 inhibitor treatments have also suffered from muscle pains.
Other men have also reported vision loss, ringing in the ears and loss of hearing and judging from the state of these sensitive organs after taking PDE5 inhibitors over the long term, the chances of their recurring is high and can be viewed as being the long term effects of Sildenafil.
Sensory perception system
Sensory perception especially the auditory and visual systems of the body have been connected to the use of Sildenafil. The problem led the FDA to take the precautionary step of adding these shortcomings on medication labels to warn potential users.
Another long term effect of Sildenafil is the increased risks of users to develop double vision and sometimes, temporary vision loss. Some reports have disclosed retinal hemorrhaging as well as vascular diseases as serious side effects of Sildenafil.
Excretory and Digestive System
Because taking Sildenafil is over the long haul and given that the drug treatment stays active for about 4 hours in your system, it stands to reason that Sildenafil’s effect on your digestive and excretory system would also be long term.
A considerable portion of Sildenafil you take will leave your system with your feces and the rest is drained with the rush of expelled urine from the body.
Indigestion, nausea and vomiting are common side effects of Sildenafil and again because the treatment is over the long haul, the recurrence of these common side effects may also be long term.
Cerebrovacular and Cardiovascular
While strokes and heart attacks have been associated with short-term usage of Sildenafil, Long term usage has been associated with vascular side effects such as cerebrovascular hemorrhage and TIA or Transient Ischemic Attack.
Also included in this category according to medical reports are the enlarged heart, irregular heartbeat and palpitations of the heart. Researcher Jeppe G Rasmussen was led to suggest that irregular heartbeat and heart palpitations may be adverse effects of Sildenafil.
Gastrointestinal Tract
Both the gastrointestinal (GI) and genital-urinary (GU) tract are affected by Sildenafil. It is known that increased occurrences of dyspepsia and intestinal issues of diarrhea and gastritis have been the result of long-term taking of the drug medication.
Other recorded long-term effects include infection of the urinary tract and cystitis, inability to ejaculate (anorgasmia).
Psychological Impact
The long-term use of Sildenafil may develop a psychological dependency on the drug medication. For instance a published article reported that men without ED had taken Sildenafil as a recreational drug and could develop a mental dependency on the medication.
Conclusion
It goes without saying that despite the adverse effects of Sildenafil on many parts of the body’s systems, which has satisfied our curiosity of wanting to know, it has continued to retain its status as a popular treatment for erectile dysfunction. This would suggest that ED sufferers are willing to overlook the threat of getting the side effects from the medication so long as they get their ED temporarily fixed.