New treatment for erectile difficulty bared

A new treatment for erectile dysfunction or erection difficulty (ED) – a condition that affects an estimated 152 million men worldwide – was recently introduced by Bayer AG of Germany and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Vardenafil, marketed by Bayer Philippines Inc. and GSK Philippines Inc., has been proven in many clinical trials worldwide to be a safe and reliable treatment for ED, a condition that plagues over half of all men above age 40.

It belongs to a class of drugs called "PDE-5 (phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibitors." PDE-5 is the enzyme found in human penile erectile tissue that is associated with erections.

Vardenafil blocks this enzyme and helps increase blood flow to the penis, giving men harder and longer erections for improved sexual activities.

Laboratory studies have shown vardenafil to be more potent than sildenafil and tadalafil. Vardenafil won’t cause an embarrassing, instant and prolonged erection. It works only when you need it. Once sexual activity is completed, the erection goes away.

The drug is safe and effective for most men, including patients who are classified as "difficult" cases such as those with diabetes and other health problems.

Vardenafil has also been shown to act very quickly – as early as 15 minutes in some men – while allowing sexual activity up to 12 hours after intake.

With this new drug, a man can be confident that he can perform sexual activity when he needs to without worrying about serious side-effects or of the drug not working.

Most men respond to the 10-milligram (mg) dose of vardenafil. The drug is available locally in three preparations – 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg depending on the patient’s need.

As with other drugs in this class, patients taking nitrates (a type of medicine that relieves chest pain caused by heart disease) should not use vardenafil.

In the United States alone, over 30 million men have experienced partial ED. The number of men with ED worldwide is expected to more than double to 322 million by 2025.

In spite of these alarming figures, experts say only 15 to 20 percent of patients are currently being treated. Hopefully, this situation can be corrected with the introduction of new treatment options like vardenafil.

Whether you need help occasionally or are frequently bothered by ED, ask your doctor about vardenafil. For more information, visit www.levitra.com.