Daily Health Minute - New Drugs For Impotence

Updated August 10, 2023 | Infoplease Staff

Daily Health Minute - New Drugs For Impotence

Two new drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) are expected to be on the market in early 2003. They are Levitra (also known as vardenafil) and Cialis (also known as tadalafil).

Over 150 million men worldwide suffer from erectile dysfunction and only a small percentage are being treated for it. Although a number of diseases such as diabetes can be the cause, in most cases the underlying problem can't be identified.

Viagra was the first oral drug to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for erectile dysfunction. Since its approval, over 17 million men have received Viagra worldwide. Sales of Viagra exceeded $1.5 billion last year.

Erectile dysfunction is big business. Other manufacturers are rushing products through clinical trials to compete with Viagra.

Viagra, Levitra and Cialis all work to reduce the effects of an enzyme called PDE5. Reducing the activity of the PDE5 enzyme means more blood can flow to the penis and less leaves. The net result is an erection. All three drugs work in the same way. Although no studies have compared either Levitra or Cialis to Viagra, they are all likely to work just about as well. Levitra appears to be effective in less time; it looks like it works in about 20 minutes. Viagra works in about 40 minutes. Both drugs last for about three or four hours. Cialis doesn't work as fast as Levitra, but looks like it may last much longer. In most cases, men with erectile dysfunction were able to have an erection up to 36 hours after taking Cialis.

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