What are Generic Drugs?

When a drug company first invents a drug that company is the only one permitted to make that drug in the same country for a certain number of years. After this time period, other companies are allowed to make the same drug product. These drugs are called generic drugs. The original drug (e.g. Viagra) is called a brand name drug.
Brand name drugs and their generics are IDENTICAL in terms of actual active ingredients. The generic pills may look different (because they are made by a different company) but inside is exactly the same active ingredients, which works in exactly the same way. The only difference between brand name drugs and generic drugs is that generics are always much less expensive. Savings of up to 80% can be made by purchasing generic drugs instead of namebrand medication.
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Arginine, Is This Natural Viagra?

Recent studies have indicated that the dietary supplement L-Arginine works in your body to produce a compound, Nitric Oxide which is used by the male reproductive system to stimulate an erection. The compound, L-Arginine, is a naturally occurring amino acid that is found in our muscle and cell tissue. Although our diets provide a fair amount of this amino acid, dietary supplementation has been shown to be effective in treating low levels of erectile dysfunction.

Subsequently, Arginine seems to be the body’s natural Viagra.
The supplement itself seems to be effective, and vitamin companies are fighting to develop products to exploit its effectiveness. Many nutritional products that now boast treatment of erectile dysfunction contain high levels of Arginine with a myriad of other compoundsRead More>>

Andropause and Erectile Dysfunction 

One of the signature symptoms of Andropause is erectile dysfunction (ED). An embarrassing, nerve-wrecking experience, ED is when a male cannot perform for his female partner. In layman’s terms, it is the inability to have an erect penis during sexual activity.

It is the primary issue amongst men in regards to their sex lives. Let’s become acquainted with how a full erection works and why this condition exists.

Men under the influence of Andropause have erectile dysfunction no matter what’s on their mind. Thinking of a nude Playboy centerfold model would likely induce pleasant and sexual thoughts into a man. Sexual thoughts, however detailed or brief they may be, are produced in the brain. After all, the brain is responsible for thinking. These sexual thoughts directly spark nerve signals down through the spinal cord and into the muscles of the penis. These nerves send a flow of blood running through the arteries in the penis while it is in a relaxed state, building pressure.

A man without Andropause can have a constant, steady flow of blood flowing to his penis arteries in a good amount. The more blood that flows down there, the harder and longer your erection will be! When sexual thoughts creep out of your mind and you’re focused on another activity, your penis returns to its relaxed state. We can guess Andropause sufferers are going to have to do something Read More>>

Do erectile dysfunction drugs causes NAION ?

On July 8, 2005 the FDA ordered warnings be put on the package insert labels of Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra to the effect that some users of these impotence drugs -- or erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs -- have developed NAION, a form of blindness. At the same time, however, the FDA stated that it is impossible at present to know if NAION is a side effect of these ED drugs, or an unrelated medical condition.

NAION is considered one of the most common causes of sudden vision loss in older people, with anywhere from 1,000 to 6,000 cases a year, also NAION is one of the most common causes of unexpected or sudden vision loss in older Americans. So question arises here is what exactly is the NAION? and is there a risk from taking erectile dysfunction drugs?

What is NAION and what is happening inside the body to cause damage to  sight?

NAION is an acronym for Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. Well, basically, the optic nerve is a nerve that connects the eye to the brain. That's how we see.

The optic nerve has tiny blood vessels that perfuse it and that's how it gets its blood supply and oxygen for it to function properly.The condition generally starts in one eye and can cause complete blindness if both eyes are affected. Those who have poor eyesight appear to have the highest chances for developing NAION.

Is there a risk from taking erectile dysfunction drugs?

It is possible that in certain individuals the drugs could potentially to  this. For example, one theoretical mechanism -- which hasn't been proven, but it is a possibility -- is we know these drugs in some patients lower the blood pressure overall in the body. And it's possible that as the drug lowers the blood pressure, the blood flow through the tiny blood vessels in the optic nerve may be temporarily diminished. And during that time, the optic nerve may suffer damage. Now, again, this is not a definite mechanism, it's just a proposed possible mechanism for why this may occur.

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Cause of diabetes-related erectile dysfunction is clarified by Johns Hopkins researchers

10 Aug 2005

A new study from the Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins suggests an over-supply of a simple blood sugar could be a major cause of erectile dysfunction in diabetic men.

Researchers have found that one particular simple sugar, present in increased levels in diabetics, interferes with the chain of events needed to achieve and maintain erection and can lead to permanent penile impairment over time. The results, which have implications for new types of erectile dysfunction treatments targeting this mechanism of erection, are described in the August 16 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Previous research had shown that diabetic erectile dysfunction was partially due to an interruption in an enzyme that starts the chain of vascular events leading to an erection. The Hopkins team suspected O-GlcNAc, a blood sugar present in hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) circumstances, to be that interrupting factor.

"We were interested to determine whether high glucose in mellitus modifies the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) enzyme, which is responsible for the achievement and maintenance of erection," says Biljana Musicki, Ph.D., lead investigator of the study and a research associate in the Brady Urological Institute.

Erectile dysfunction is a common problem for more than half of men with diabetes. Musicki says that an estimated "50 percent to 75 percent of diabetic men have erectile dysfunction to some degree, [a rate] about threefold higher than in non-diabetic men." This is not the same type of erectile dysfunction seen in non-diabetics, and it is less effectively treated with conventional drugs like Viagra.

The study examined rats with type 1 mellitus as well as the overall mechanism of erection. "Erection begins when a sexual stimulus activates the enzyme neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) that causes short-term release of nitric oxide (NO) at the nerve endings in the penis," Musicki explains.

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Health Canada advises about vision problems possibly associated with Viagra, Cialis and Levitra

01 Aug 2005

Health Canada is advising individuals who use the drugs Viagra, Cialis and Levitra to consult their physicians and seek immediate medical attention if they experience sudden vision loss or vision-related problems while taking these drugs. Viagra, Cialis and Levitra are drugs used to treat impotence and erectile dysfunction in men.

The specific type of vision loss, called nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), occurs when blood flow to the optic nerve is blocked. It causes sudden and painless loss of vision in one or both eyes. Those who experience one episode are at a greater risk of experiencing a second episode affecting the other eye. Vision loss may be partial or complete. While in some cases the condition may improve over time, it can also be irreversible. Risk factors for NAION include:

Diabetes,Impotence, and Viagra

Approximately 8.7 million, or 8.7% of all men over the age of 20 in the United States have diabetes.The most life-threatening consequences of diabetes are heart disease and stroke, which strike people with diabetes more than twice as often as they do others. Other complications of diabetes include blindness,impotence, kidney disease, and amputations.
Millions of men suffer from impotence, and it is more common among men with diabetes than others. While it is estimated that 15-25% of men experience erectile dysfunction by the age of 65, it has been reported to affect 50-60% of men with diabetes over the age of 50.

How Diabetes related to Impotence
The most common cause of impotence in men with diabetes is damage to his nervous system.Nerves carry messages back and forth between the brain and other parts of the body. All of your nerves together make up the nervous system.Some nerves tell the brain what is happening in the body. For example, when you step on a tack, the nerve in your foot tells the brain about the pain.Other nerves tell the body what to do. For example, nerves from the brain tell your stomach when it is time to move food into your intestines.

For full text of this article click here

Pfizer statement regarding Viagra and blindness (NAION)

28 May 2005

A review of 103 Viagra clinical trials involving 13,000 patients found no reports of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Outside of clinical trials, Viagra has been used by more than 23 million men worldwide over the past seven years and reports of visual field loss due to NAION are extremely rare.

There is no evidence showing that NAION occurred more frequently in men taking Viagra than men of similar age and health who did not take Viagra.

NAION is the most common acute optic nerve disease in adults over age 50 and it shares a number of common risk factors with erectile dysfunction: age over 50, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, . Most of the reported cases in which NAION has occurred in men taking Viagra have involved patients with underlying anatomic or vascular risk factors associated with the development of NAION.

Pfizer is in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration to update the Viagra label to reflect these rare ocular occurrences.

Viagra has a strong safety profile and remains an effective medication that benefits millions of patients.

Viagra remains the market-leading ED medicine, with recent data showing more patients switching back to Viagra after trying our competitors than ever before.

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Source:MedicalNewsToday

ED Drug Amendment Passage Puts Lives at Risk, USA

27 Jun 2005
Lumping thousands of victims of crippling diseases in with those who abuse the system, Congress passed a ban of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for erectile dysfunction drugs today.

"Erectile dysfunction drugs are not 'lifestyle' drugs to patients," said National Coalition CEO Richard N. Atkins, M.D. "Men already have a great reluctance when it comes to paying attention to their health -- significantly downsizing access to the opportunity to fight side-effects of life-saving treatments gives them another excuse."

U.S. Representative Steve King (IA-05) proposed an amendment to ban funding of erectile dysfunction drugs as part of the Department of Labor, Health, and Human Services and Education Appropriations Act of 2006. The amendment passed the House today, 285-121.

"If a patient is faced with the risk of impotence due to treatment from , and erectile dysfunction drugs are not covered, he may decide for less than optimal cancer treatment or choose nothing at all," said Atkins.

A University of Chicago study shows that when comparing treatment options, 68 percent of men were willing to trade off a 10 percent or greater advantage in five-year survival rates to maintain sexual potency. Many prostate cancer patients grapple with impotence -- a University of Washington study revealed earlier this year that 89 percent of men could not achieve an erection six months after prostate cancer surgery.

"Representative King's snap judgment of the situation may cause more pain and suffering due to disease and cost the government more money through lengthy and expensive treatments of late-stage disease," said Atkins.

About the National Prostate Cancer Coalition

The National Coalition sets the standard for rapidly reducing the burden of on American men and their families through awareness, outreach and advocacy.

National Prostate Cancer Coalition
http://www.pcacoalition.org" title="http://www.pcacoalition.org" target="_blank"http://www.pcacoalition.org

source:MedicalNewsToday

Change your lifestyle to reduce impotence:
According to many clinical studies changing your life style can help you to reduce your impotence Problem.Such important life style changes are quit smoking,control diabetes,avoid alcohol,Stop illicit drug use,Exercise,Reduce Stress and anxiety,Stop fear of failure etc. 

Quit smoking:

 Smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction by around 50% for men in their 30s and 40sDuring an erection, large quantities of blood flow, under pressure, into the penile arteries.This causes the veins which drain the penis to become compressed, so preventing the immediate outflow of blood. This process is significantly impaired by smoking.=http://bigwhiteguy.com/archiv...;h=400&w=312&sz=3 9&tbnid=2QUyoZ1MdTAJ: &tbnh=120&tbnw=93 &hl=en&start=31&a mp;prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2B smoking%26start%3D20%26sv num%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3 D%26rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2005- 12,GGLD:en%26sa%3DN"
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) found that smoking worsens cardiovascular problems that lead to impotence.Quitting smoking can help some men partly or fully restore erectile function. The MMAS results underscored this point, especially in men under 60.

Control diabetes:

 Diabetes, for example, may contribute to as many as 40% of impotence cases. Between one-third and one-half of all diabetic men report some form of sexual difficulty. Blocked arteries and nerve damage are both common complications of diabetes; when the blood vessels or nerves of the penis are involved, erectile dysfunction can result. In June 2004, researchers reported on the first study looking at men with type 2 diabetes and symptomless heart disease. Their report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with type 2 diabetes may signal silent coronary artery disease (CAD). The study found that those who had silent CAD and type 2 diabetes were nine times more likely to have ED than diabetic men who did not have silent heart disease.
Take control of your diabetes. Good blood glucose control can prevent the complications that lead to impotence.

Avoid alcohol:

Excessive alcohol consumption disrupts hormone levels and can lead to nerve damage. This type of impotence may be reversible or permanent depending on the severity of the nerve damage. Some clinical studies suggest about 25 percent of all alcoholics become impotent--even after they stop drinking.

Stop illicit drug use:

=http://www.defence.gov.au/new...;h=845&w=600&sz=3 95&tbnid=dNaGCn60Lv8J :&tbnh=144&tbnw=1 02&hl=en&start=5& amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dil licit%2Bdrug%2B%26svnum%3 D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26r ls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2005-12,GG LD:en%26sa%3DN" Illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, barbiturates, and amphetamines act on the central nervous system, impairing the body's ability to respond sexually.

Exercise:

=http://sln.fi.edu/biosci/heal...;h=282&w=307&sz=2 5&tbnid=MzIiSfCpUnMJ: &tbnh=102&tbnw=11 2&hl=en&start=4&a mp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dexe rcise%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3 Den%26lr%3D%26rls%3DGGLD, GGLD:2005-12,GGLD:en"
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Showing that what's good for your heart is good for your sex life, researchers have found that regular, moderate exercise may prevent impotence.

Reduce Stress and anxiety:

=http://askmen.com/sports/heal...;h=225&w=150&sz=7 &tbnid=Fk7OYyl9lroJ:& amp;tbnh=102&tbnw=68& amp;hl=en&start=40&am p;prev=/images%3Fq%3DStre ss%2B%26start%3D20%26svnu m%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D% 26rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2005-12 ,GGLD:en%26sa%3DN"When you're stressed and focusing on other issues apart from sex, you might find that you don't want to have sex as often and there might be a drop in your ability to perform when you do try.Reducing stress can mean better erections when you want them.

Stop fear of failure:

=http://www.cartoonmotivators....;h=340&w=340&sz=2 8&tbnid=EFm0oMzCRaoJ: &tbnh=115&tbnw=11 5&hl=en&start=2&a mp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfea r%2Bof%2Bfailure%26svnum% 3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26 rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2005-12,G GLD:en%26sa%3DN"Anxiety about your sexual prowess (commonly called performance anxiety) can, in itself, contribute to failure. By putting pressure on yourself, you become too anxious to get an adequate erection.

Along with lifestyle changes use treatments such as  viagra,caverta and other drugs,penile implants, vacuum erection devices, injection therapy, and urethral suppositories etc.
For more detail information about these treatments click solutions to your impotence problem.