The little blue pill Viagra is a blockbuster drug for men who have erectile dysfunction (ED). It contains sildenafil citrate, a drug that was initially developed to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a heart-related condition.
Accidentally, during the clinical trials, scientists found the drug to be highly effective at inducing erections. Since then, it has been used for the treatment of ED.
Dr. Nelly Bosire, a Nairobi-based obstetric/gynecologist, published an article on the safety of Viagra among women in Daily Monitor. She has cautioned women about using Viagra.
It is still unclear whether the drug has any beneficial effects on women’s sexual health. There has been no convincing evidence to support the drug’s efficacy in improving women’s sexual health.
Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) is a much more complex issue than ED. There are a few drugs available to treat FSD, such as flibanserin (Addyi) and bremelanotide (Vyleesi), but unfortunately, they have a minimal role in post-menopausal women with FSD.
In the current generation, women with FSD have been trying to use Viagra to boost their sexual health. However, while doing so, women should know about the risks associated with the prescription ED drug.
For instance, Viagra is not for those who are already on medications that contain nitrates (used for chest pain) and/or alpha-blockers (used for high blood pressure). If taken together, these drugs could increase the risk of hypotension (low blood pressure).
Dr. Bosire wrote, “As we make fun and create memes about the negative outcomes of the inappropriate use of these drugs, let us not miss out on the lessons learnt. These pharmaceutical products may improve the quality of life but they must never be treated casually. They require proper administration and oversight by a doctor to rule out pre-treatment risk factors and also keep tabs as these arise to prevent unnecessary complications and death.” Dr. Bosire published the article on Monday in Daily Monitor.
