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Viagra has given rise to as many questions as it has dysfunctional penises. To get answers to these questions, ThirdAge Insider Dr. David Schnarch, a clinical psychologist and author of Passionate Marriage, interviews Dr. Steven Lamm, author of The Virility Solution and a frequent commentator on the emerging pharmaceuticals for the treatment of sexual difficulties.
The following are excerpts from the interview of April 29, 1998. Questions were also accepted from the audience of the ThirdAge chat event, where the interview took place.
The New Potency Pills
Dr. Schnarch: To start with, what are the names of the new erectile dysfunction (ED) medications?
Dr. Lamm: The newest member is...Viagra, also known as sildenafil...There will be several new drugs in the next two years. Among them are a group which will be known as Vasomax , which [like Viagra] facilitates erections by promoting blood flow to the penis.
Another drug that we hope will be approved in the next two years has a slightly different mechanism. It will be called Apomorphine. This will work...in the brain to help initiate the erectile process.
What If My Partner...?
Dr. Schnarch: If a man takes Viagra, but his partner wants nothing to do with sex--or him--will he still get an erection?
Dr. Lamm: He will only get an erection if he is sexually stimulated. If he simply takes the medicine and is not in a sexually stimulating environment, he will not get an erection...
Dr. Lamm: What is of critical importance, and the beauty of this medication, is that in the absence of appropriate sexual encounter it will NOT initiate an erection...For Viagra to be effective it requires the old-fashioned way of getting an erection, love and intimacy.
Does It Enhance Orgasm?
Dr. Schnarch: Men often experience reduced orgasmic intensity as they age. Do the new erection drugs have any impact on orgasm?
Dr. Lamm: That has not been studied, but there is a suggestion that it may enhance orgasmic sensation...Whenever one promotes increased blood flow...there is a possibility of a greater amount of the chemicals that are responsible for the orgasmic discharge.
How Long Does The Erection Last?
Scientist (a ThirdAge user): If I take a pill, how long will the effect last?
Dr. Lamm: It will have a peak effect in about one hour, if taken on an empty stomach. The peak effect and maximum effect will be delayed if taken on a full stomach... Some effect may last for up to four hours. There is a variation in absorption and breakdown of the drug in different individuals...One needs to try the medication at least four or five times before appreciating the true effect of the medication.
What Happens After Orgasm?
Dr. Schnarch: Assuming a man takes Viagra or Vasomax and reaches orgasm after fifteen minutes of sex, will he continue to have an erection after he ejaculates?
Dr. Lamm: No, a man following ejaculation has a built-in mechanism to reduce the erection. Although Viagra may enhance it for a while, the overwhelming likelihood is that the man will lose his erection.
Viagra and Serious Disease
Dr. Schnarch: The incidence of prostate cancer increases as men age. Will the new ED drugs help men who've had radical surgery and suffered nerve damage?
Dr. Lamm: Viagra has been effective in these settings.
Dr. Schnarch: Many ThirdAgers experience many other physical disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. What about using the new ED drugs with these conditions?
Dr. Lamm: All of these conditions have been studied among the 3,000-4,000 men in the clinical studies. Viagra has been shown to be effective in up to 70 percent of these conditions.
For More Information on Viagra:
Erectile dysfunction is not the only issue when considering taking Viagra, as David Schnarch, Ph.D., discusses in Viagra: Proof That Sometimes Less is More.
Discuss Viagra, the new drug for erectile dysfunction. Have you tried it? Should HMOs pay for it? Express your opinions, and discover how other ThirdAgers feel in
Discussions.
Test your knowledge about Viagra with Sex Expert Suzi Landolphi's Sex Quiz on potency pills.
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