Which Drugs Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

Not every drug has a similar effect on every human. Every drug is different and might not even work for some people. But are there any drugs that cause ED? Well, we enlisted some, and we are not surprised.

Erectile dysfunction affects about 15% of all adult men in the world each year. Though there are many reasons for this malady, drugs contribute significantly to this phenomenon.

At least 25% of erection complications arise from the use of drugs. This is a significant proportion caused by a single factor.

A study by Rosen et all even saw that up to 58% of individuals who are medicated on SSRIs all suffer from some form of erectile dysfunction. Some of the most common medications were noted in the study and they all cause patients to develop ED and other sexual dysfunctions.

Hence you should seriously consider the contributions of medications towards your declining libido.

Some types of drugs work to increase the production of certain hormones through the sacrifice of the production of other hormones.

Very often, the hormones that are affected are the ones relating to a person's sexual desires and functions.

As a result of that, it is common to find that people who are under very heavy medication usually suffer from such a decrease of libido that they can't function normally in matters of sex.

However, just because you have heard this news does not make it alright for you to stop your medication without consulting a health professional.

You see, not all drugs will cause the same effects, so even though you may be experiencing some heavy libido loss due to the usage of a particular drug, other people who are also taking the drug may not necessarily suffer quite the same way.

With that said, if you are taking some types of medication and you are also finding that your sex drive has been on the decline, there is a chance that your drug may be the troublemaker.

At this point, it becomes important that you talk with your doctor so that you both can see if there would be any need to change your medication, lessen any drugs you are taking in excess, or lessen the dosage.

The most straightforward approach is to understand which particular medicines can accelerate this condition.

Below are the four main categories of drugs that can contribute to erectile dysfunction.

Blood pressure medications: People with heart conditions reverts to medicines to help alleviate some of the adverse effects.

They take pressure-relieving tablets consistently since cardiovascular ailments are one of the highest killers.

The treatment is effective in controlling the pressure. However, it causes a spike in erectile dysfunction. The most common culprits here are the diuretic, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers. 

A study by International Journal of Hypertension notes the difficulty of having hypertension and the ED that comes along with it. The condition tends to contribute to sexual dysfunctions, but medication can also further complicate the matter. This is indeed a compliance matter that is quite complicated for both concerned patients and doctors.

Acid reflux treatments: We occasionally suffer from acid reflux and take medicines to remedy the situation.

Most of these tablets, however, contain H2 blockers. These drugs inhibit the secretion of histamine ? essential for erection.  

Antihistamine: We all produce a chemical known as histamine. This enzyme triggers an allergic reaction to certain foods and environmental particles you encounter.

Thus you take an antihistamine to eliminate these effects. Unfortunately, histamines are also crucial for your erection, and any drugs that stymy it also suppress erections.

Therefore, any antihistamine pills out there contribute to erectile dysfunction. 

Antidepressants: Anxiety and stress is a significant contributor to depression. The modern work pressure, family demands, as well as other career and personal goals, exert too much anxiety.

Many people, as a result, start developing depression. While curing this mental state, doctors usually issue out antidepressants. But here lies the trigger for erectile dysfunction.

Anti-depression pills, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, cause ED.  

However, a study by Drug, Healthcare and Patient Safety has looked into other forays of antidepressants that may not cause ED as much as SSRIs do. These drugs are bupropion and nefazodone and there is enough evidence that these comparatively unpopular choice of drug does work better in this regard.

Drugs for Parkinson's disease: Parkinson's disease in itself is already trouble for male sexuality, but the drugs that are used to treat this condition can also lead to ED.

This is not easy to tackle because this condition involves the damage and repair of the central nervous system.

Tranquilizers: Some people who suffer from extreme and heavy anxieties may be prescribed tranquilizers like Valium or Librium.

Although these prescription drugs are safe and can make a person more relaxed, they can also cause ED when used over long periods of time.

This is why the use of tranquilizers is never suggested as a long-term medication.

Any person who is getting some help from tranquilizers for their mental health should eventually seek other methods of medication that may include therapy.

As you can see, prolonged use of these types of drugs is not recommended by health professionals due to the fact that they have a tendency of reducing a man's quality of life--especially in matters of sex.

Still, again, keep in mind that even if you wish to stop some medication you may already be taking, you always need a doctor's advice on such an endeavor and never stop your medication on your own term.

A health professional will be able to conduct a check-up on you and see which medication(s) need some altering in their dosage, or perhaps, your medication may be changed to accommodate your declining sex drive.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading “Which Drugs Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction?”

Almost a fifth of all men suffer from erectile dysfunction in the world. Medicines account of almost a quarter of this these ED complications.

Though these medicines are formulated to treat some conditions, they also harbor unforeseen ED side effects.

They include blood pressure tablets, acid reflux treatments, and Parkinson’s diseases are some of these.

Then tablets for curing depression, ulcers, and histamine, tranquiller, diuretics, and H2 blockers may also accelerate ED in some men.