The relationship between impotence and medication is a complicated one. Human sexual arousal is not a simple process, and it has both psychological and physical components. Each phase of this process is vulnerable to medical interruption. Many different medications have been shown to cause impotence as a side effect, some for primarily psychological reasons, some for purely physiological ones. Impotence can also be treated with medication, and some patients may find themselves in a situation where impotence caused by one medication can be treated by another.
The most straightforward link between impotence and medication involves drugs that reduce blood flow. Given the central importance of blood flow to male sexual potency, any drug that treats blood pressure can potentially lead to impotence as well. Since drugs designed to fight impotence frequently also impact blood pressure, any use of these medications while receiving treatment for high blood pressure should be undertaken after discussion with a doctor.
Antidepressants are the other category of drug most likely to cause impotence, and the relationship between impotence and medication is a more complicated in this case. The actual functioning of antidepressants is not perfectly understood, but drugs that increase serotonin levels, reduce testosterone levels, or reduce dopamine levels can all reduce libido and lead to impotence.
Other medications, while not directly impacting the systems responsible for sexual arousal and performance, have serious side effects, and these side effects can form a link between impotence and medication. Chemotherapy drugs, for example, which can have severe physical side effects, may effectively cause impotence by causing physical discomfort to patients and thereby, indirectly suppressing the libido.
The link between impotence and medication can also be a more positive one for patients. Several effective modern drugs have been developed to treat erectile dysfunction, all of which act to stimulate blood flow to the penis, thereby overcoming several different types of impotence, both physiological and psychological. The most common impotence drugs act by increasing the levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP), which is a substance naturally produced by the penis as a by-product of arousal.
These drugs are generally safe, and because they target the circulation of blood in only one specific portion of the body, they are less likely to pose risks to patients with other medical conditions. They should, however, only be taken after a thorough consultation with a doctor. Like any medication, they can potentially interact with many different substances and other medications.
