Viagara

Viagara has been a topic of interest to many Japanese persons recently. It is a medication that became available in April in the U.S.A. through Pfizer pharmaceuticals. It is scientifically proven for treatment of penile erectile dysfunction. It was originally under investigation as a drug to treat hypertension when it was noticed that it caused penile erection as a side effect. It does this my relaxing the smooth muscle in the penis which in turn allows more blood to flow to it. Although there have been other modalities of treatment of erectile dysfunction, Viagara is the first oral drug to be scientifically shown to be effective in treatment of this condition.

The only absolute contraindication in the use of this drug is concomitant and simultaneous use of nitrates (e.g. nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, etc.), which can result in rapid and sudden death. There have been some deaths both in the U.S.A. and in Japan, mostly associated with nitrates.

The other modalities of treatment include suction devices, psychological counseling, surgical implantation of prosthesis, intra-urethral deposition of Muse. There are met with limited effectiveness, invasiveness, and inconvenient dosages, respectively. Of course, these alternatives need to be explored before any ingestion of systemic medications. For this reason, we at NIPPON MEDICAL CLINIC have trained personnel that can discuss the alternatives and the most appropriate treatment for individual patients. The package insert included with Viagara specifically requires under the "precaution" section that a full physician evaluation and examination is mandatory prior to taking this medication. A prescription issued by a licensed physician is necessary to obtain this medication in the U.S.A.