Happiness in Silver Linings

Everyone is obsessed about Viagra (Sildenafil, pronounced sill-DEN-a-fill), a magic pill used to treat ED (erectile dysfunction) by increasing blood flow through inhibition of PDE5.  Thanks to Pfizer, Viagra’s manufacturer, the problem of impotence is finally solved, or so ita seems…

 

What bothers me is that patients come into Harborivew with a roll of $20-dollar bills for 6 tablets of Viagra but never seem to have enough for a $5.00 copayment for their blood pressure/HTN meds.

Something to think about:

1. Advertisements paid for by Pfizer claim that 40% of  men have ED problems. But it’s more like 3% of 40 year olds and 60% of 70 year olds.
2. Common Side Effects: headache (16-46%), dyspepsia (7-17%), flushing (10%), rash(2%), color changes, blurred and increased sensitivity to light (3%; up to 11% >100mg), and nasal congestion (4%)
3. Caution when using with nitrates (e.g. nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate) and risk of hypotension when used cocurrently with betablockers…etc.
4. go to ER if duration of action is well over 5 hours.

So you basically can’t see, can’t smell, your head hurts and you risk your life if you have diabetes or any cardiovascular diseases.

Nonetheless, it is estimated that 300 million men will be using Viagra by 2025.

I wonder why.