Firstmed Blog

Viagra (also known as Sildenafil) is a drug used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men. However it is no longer freely available on the NHS, since the NHS is restricting how much Viagra it prescribes in order to lower costs except to men who:

* Have diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, poliomyelitis, prostrate cancer, severe pelvic injury, single gene neurological disease, spina bifida or spinal cord injury;
* Are receiving dialysis for renal failure;
* Have had radical pelvic (hip) surgery, prostatectomy (removal of the prostrate), or kidney transplant;
* were receiving other drugs for erectile dysfunction such as Caverject®, Erecnos®, MUSE®, Viagra® or Viridal® at the expense of the NHS on 14 September 1998;
* Are suffering severe distress as a result of impotence (however these prescriptions are given at specialist centers only)

Since Viagra is only given to men who have certain conditions all prescriptions for it must be endorsed SLS this simply means “special list” this simply lets the medical professionals know that its a regulated drug.

Obtaining Viagra can be difficult if you do not suffer from the conditions outlined above. Many men find it too tiresome and give up. Men who are not in the categories above and who do not have any obvious physical causes leading to their erectile dysfunction will be assessed psychologically in specialist centres by psychologists who will then determine whether or not it is feasible to give the patient Viagra. If you are still not prescribed it through the NHS then it can be obtained privately.

Viagra (Sildenafil) is not recommended for use with other treatments for erectile dysfunction, hence the patient is assessed appropriately before prescribing Sildenafil. There are some cautions associated with Sildenafil, sildenafil is used in caution in patients with cardiovascular disease, anatomical deformation of the penis (e.g.. angulation, cavernosal fibrosis, Peyronie’s disease) and in those with a predisposition to prolonged erection (e.g. sickle-cell disease, multiple myeloma, or leukaemia). Sildenafil is normally contraindicated in patients receiving nitrates or in patients in whom vasodilatation or sexual activity are inadvisable. As any drug Sildenafil has side-effects these include dyspepsia (heartburn), vomiting, headache, flushing, dizziness, visual disturbances, raised intra-ocular pressure, and nasal congestion, other reactions such as hypersensitivity reactions have also been reported.