ED treatment risky with cardiac disease
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:47 amA column by Doctors Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz
Q: What side effects should I look for when taking drugs for erectile dysfunction? And how do I know my ED isnt a sign of a more significant problem, like diabetes or heart disease? Jim, Syracuse, N.Y.
A: The major side effect of these drugs mainly Viagra, Cialis and Levitra is that 100 people die each year while taking them ... and that is a major side effect. Yet this happens almost exclusively in people with cardiac disease.
Unfortunately, many cases of nonperformance are in guys who are part of this group: men with arterial disease who have risk factors such as high blood pressure, chest pain, diabetes, high LDL or low HDL cholesterol counts or high inflammation numbers indicated by either a waist size larger than 40 inches or a test called specific C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). If you are in this category, get thee to a cardiologist, tell him what you want and get his take on it.
If you do get a prescription, remember not to use these pills with nitroglycerin. If you get chest pain after using one of these, take an aspirin with water and get to an ED thats for emergency department, not erectile dysfunction fast. Have your partner drive you, immediately.
Q: Both my doctor and the urologist he sent me to told me I have benign prostatic hypertrophy, but they are not recommending surgery or medicine, just watchful waiting. What does this mean? What will likely happen? Michael, Chicago
A: Watchful waiting means you and your doctor watch how you do and do not use any pills or surgical instruments right away. Thats a good thing, in our view, as it means youre running no risks from any treatments. About 30 percent of men with BPH have symptoms (youve gotta go right now, often two or three times in the middle of the night) that do not progress. But 35 percent get better without treatment, and 35 percent get symptoms that are so bothersome they elect treatment. Keep in touch with your doc with a yearly or twice-yearly visit, and you wont suffer side effects of delaying treatment.......
Source http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080714/LIVING/320076755#Scene_1
Q: What side effects should I look for when taking drugs for erectile dysfunction? And how do I know my ED isnt a sign of a more significant problem, like diabetes or heart disease? Jim, Syracuse, N.Y.
A: The major side effect of these drugs mainly Viagra, Cialis and Levitra is that 100 people die each year while taking them ... and that is a major side effect. Yet this happens almost exclusively in people with cardiac disease.
Unfortunately, many cases of nonperformance are in guys who are part of this group: men with arterial disease who have risk factors such as high blood pressure, chest pain, diabetes, high LDL or low HDL cholesterol counts or high inflammation numbers indicated by either a waist size larger than 40 inches or a test called specific C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). If you are in this category, get thee to a cardiologist, tell him what you want and get his take on it.
If you do get a prescription, remember not to use these pills with nitroglycerin. If you get chest pain after using one of these, take an aspirin with water and get to an ED thats for emergency department, not erectile dysfunction fast. Have your partner drive you, immediately.
Q: Both my doctor and the urologist he sent me to told me I have benign prostatic hypertrophy, but they are not recommending surgery or medicine, just watchful waiting. What does this mean? What will likely happen? Michael, Chicago
A: Watchful waiting means you and your doctor watch how you do and do not use any pills or surgical instruments right away. Thats a good thing, in our view, as it means youre running no risks from any treatments. About 30 percent of men with BPH have symptoms (youve gotta go right now, often two or three times in the middle of the night) that do not progress. But 35 percent get better without treatment, and 35 percent get symptoms that are so bothersome they elect treatment. Keep in touch with your doc with a yearly or twice-yearly visit, and you wont suffer side effects of delaying treatment.......
Source http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080714/LIVING/320076755#Scene_1