The effectiveness of Viagra (sildenafil citrate) as a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) has been well-established in clinical trials. Recent data has shown that patients can still benefit from its effects after 12 months of continual consumption.
Is the effectiveness of Viagra reduced after just a few months of use? Can you still benefit from its effects after 10 days?
Findings from an analysis of five clinical trials have revealed that the answer to both questions is yes.
The studies assessed the effect of Viagra on various measures of ED severity. The analysis used data from 397 patients who took part in the trials. Results showed that ED symptoms improved up to 12 months after initial treatment with Viagra, and the effect was still present after 10 days and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment.
The analysis also found that the longer patients were treated with Viagra, the greater the improvement in their erectile function. Patients who took part in the longer term trials (12 and 23 months), for example, showed significant improvements when compared to patients who took part in the shorter term trials (6 and 10 months).
The Overall Effect of Viagra After 12 Months
The findings demonstrated that after 12 months of treatment with Viagra, patients experienced significant improvements in their erectile function (70% vs. 12% for placebo). The difference was observed in all five trials analysed (p<0.0001).
In the individual trial data, the effect size was in the range of 0.8 to 1.3, meaning that patients who consumed Viagra had a 80-120% greater improvement in erectile function compared to those who took the placebo (p<0.0001).
The improvement in erectile function was accompanied by an improvement in other aspects of sexual function, including the ability to maintain an erection (57-74% better) and the ability to achieve and sustain an erection (60-72% better).
There were also improvements in the frequency of erections (27-62% better) and in the ability to have an orgasm (35-75% better) (all p<0.0001).
Based on these results, patients who are interested in trying Viagra can expect to see some improvement in their ED symptoms after taking the drug for 12 months. However, the effect does not appear to be permanent and patients should not expect to see the same improvements with continued use of the drug.
How Effective Is Viagra After Just 10 Days of Treatment?
The question of the durability of the effect of Viagra after just a few months of treatment was addressed in two similarly designed trials that assessed patients after just 10 days of treatment. One trial enrolled 202 patients and the other trial enrolled 205 patients.
In both trials, patients experienced statistically significant improvements in ED, with effect sizes of 0.5 and 0.7. However, the magnitude of the effect was smaller compared to the effect size observed in patients who had consumed the drug for 12 months. In both trials, the effect was present for up to 3 months and 6 months, respectively, after initial treatment with Viagra. However, treatment after 6 months did not result in any additional improvement in ED (p=0.08).
These results suggest that in patients who are not seeing full benefit after just a few months of continued treatment, a switch to a different ED drug may be the answer. However, the answer may depend on the individual patient and whether or not they are experiencing toxicity from the drug they are taking.
In the case of ED patients who are experiencing toxicity (e.g., low blood pressure, headache, and nasal congestion), the trial data suggests that a change of treatment may not be necessary since the symptoms of ED can be attributed to another medical condition (e.g., hypertension or head trauma). In these cases, the drug of choice would be a PDE5 (phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibitor, such as tadalafil (Cialis) or vardenafil (Levitra).
Can ED Get Better Without Medication?
While the above results suggest that Viagra has the potential to improve ED, they do not mean that ED cannot get better without the help of medication. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that ED can be effectively managed without medication in some cases. For example, some patients may find that increasing blood flow to the penis and/or relaxing the blood vessels reduces their ED symptoms. Therefore, if a patient is concerned about the potential side effects of medication, they may want to try and manage their symptoms without it first.
However, this approach may not be suitable for all patients. Moreover, there is no guarantee that ED will improve without medication. Patients should not assume that just because their ED does not appear to be improving that it will always be the case. Sometimes, ED can be a symptom of a more serious illness and needs to be treated properly before any attempts are made at self-help. In these cases, the cause of the ED should be identified and treated.