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New Erection Medication
The wheels of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) move very slowly. In a previous article that I wrote in November 2010, I reported that a new erection medication would soon be available. Now, almost 4 years later, Stendra (Avanafil) has finally received FDA approval and is now available for men with erection difficulties.
The clinical trials with Stendra demonstrated that from 66% to 72% of men with erection problems who took the medication were able to have successful intercourse. Although these numbers are not significantly different from the success rates with the other erection medications, Stendra has some distinct advantages.
What’s so special about this new medication? Its primary claim to fame is that Stendra is considered to be an “on demand” erection medication. In the past, men often complained that Viagra and Cialis eliminated the possibility of spontaneous sexual activity. Since those medications required anywhere from one to two hours before becoming effective, sexual activity had to be planned far ahead of time. As men know, this is not always possible.
 Single men who were not in relationships especially had difficulty with the planning that was required with Viagra and Cialis. For them, intimacy at the end of the night was unpredictable and uncertain. Unlike married couples who could plan ahead, single men were often not sure whether intimacy was realistic or just wishful thinking.
Stendra takes the guessing out of the sexual equation. Unlike Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, this new medication is effective in as little as 15 minutes. For some men, it may be even quicker acting. In the clinical trials, some men reported erections, suitable for intercourse, in as little as 10 minutes. In addition, some men who took Stendra reported improved erections more than 6 hours after taking the drug.
Stendra is in the same drug class as the other erection medications now on the U.S. market. It improves blood flow to the penis. Along with hormone and nerve factors, good blood flow to this area is important for a firm erection. Not only is the drug as effective and quicker acting than Viagra, the side effects from Stendra are reported to be minimal.
This is welcome news for many men who were unable to take the existing erection medications because of the severe difficulty they had with headache, muscle ache and vision changes. Frustration with these medications was not uncommon.
It is estimated that about 50% of men who use medications for erections have been dissatisfied with the results of the available medications. As a result, they tended to switch among the existing medications in search for a more effective solution with minimal side effects.
For those men, the sexual benefits of these medications was just not worth the discomfort and pain associated with the side effects. With Stendra, the most common side effects are similar to the other medications but much less severe. They range from stuffy nose and congestion to a mild headache.
As with all of the existing erection medications, drinking too much alcohol when taking Stendra is not advised. Not only does it reduce the effectiveness of the medication it can also lead to headache, dizziness and low blood pressure.
 Although studies with Stendra among men who have various physical disabilities have not yet been reported, this is only a matter of time. The medication is specifically geared toward men with these types of medical conditions. Specifically, the medication is being distributed and advertised as a solution for men with spinal cord injury, diabetes and prostate cancer.
The introduction of Stendra is just one more step in this billion dollar industry. We can certainly expect to be seeing future treatments coming out on a regular basis with each one claiming to better than the existing drugs.
The push in this industry is to provide drugs that are more effective, work rapidly and have fewer, if any, side effects than currently available medications. With this goal in mind, a number of pharmaceutical companies are researching new treatments.
For the man with erection difficulties, new options may just be around the corner. In the meantime, it may make sense to work with your doctor and experiment with the existing medications, including Stendra. That’s the only way to see which works best for you with the least side effects.
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