More and more younger men have been using the blockbuster erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Viagra compared to older men, according to one expert from Trinidad & Tobago.
Dr. Samuel Shafe, Medical Director of St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital, said Wednesday in a virtual meeting of the Rotary Club of Port of Spain that many younger men are using the little blue pill than older men.
St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital is one of three hospitals under the purview of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA). It is the major facility providing mental health care within Trinidad & Tobago.
While giving a presentation on mental health and men, Dr. Shafe said some of the psychological issues faced by men are depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorder, sleep disorder, mood disorder. Schizophrenia (which is the most difficult to manage), and sexual disorders.
He explained the men experienced sexual disorders are ED, also called impotence, premature ejaculation, and sexual desire disorder (low libido).
Dr. Shafe said it has always been assumed that it is the older men who have been using Viagra for their ED issues, but now it has been found that more and more younger men in their 20s and 30s are using the blue pill.
“A lot of younger men are using the sex-enhancing medication compared to older men,” he said.
He said the sexual disorders would affect the mental health of men and could have a devastating impact on them, especially if they are in a relationship.
Dr. Shafe said, “It can lead to stress in a relationship, low self-esteem, irritability, aggressive behavior, and problems with the relationship.”
He also stressed that ED, which affects more than 40 million men in the United States, may also arise due to certain medical conditions, including psychological issues like stress and depression.
Viagra contains sildenafil citrate, a drug that was originally established for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), has been approved for the treatment of ED in 1998.
Scientists accidentally found that sildenafil produced healthy erections in men while the drug was undergoing studies for PAH treatment.
Sildenafil belongs to a group of drugs called PDE5-inhibitors that function by temporarily suspending the secretion of the PDE5 enzyme in order to stop the degradation of a substance known as cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate.
This mechanism of action helps the body to release nitric oxide, a chemical that boosts blood flow to the penile organ to cause an erection during sexual stimulation. Like many other synthetic medications, Viagra has a few limitations. For instance, it is not advised to men who have serious health issues and those who take medications such as nitrates or alpha-blockers.
