Drugs That Can Cause Erectile Problems

Which are the drugs that cause erectile dysfunction? Does eliquis cause erectile dysfunction? Can muscle relaxers cause ED? You might have several questions like this in your mind. Hold on; you have turned to the right page. Continue to read to get your answers.

Many medical conditions and their treatments may give rise to sexual problems. Drugs that cause erectile dysfunction include antidepressants, antiandrogens, antipsychotics, and antihypertensives. Understanding the potential for drug-induced sexual conditions and their harmful effects on adherence to treatment will enable healthcare specialists to tailor treatments for patients and their partners. Encouraging a discussion with the patient about restoring sexual function and offering strategies to manage the conditions are critical to good clinical care.

Several classes of prescription medicines contribute to sexual dysfunction in men. Patients who develop sexual dysfunction due to medicinal use are more likely to be non-adherent. This has been found with high blood pressure medicines and antipsychotics. Recreational drugs such as narcotics, alcohol, stimulants, and hallucinogens affect sexual function.

Short-term alcohol consumption affects sexual desire by reducing inhibitions but also reduces performance and delays ejaculation and orgasms. The sexual function involves sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm. Men who experience problems in any of these phases tend to have sexual dysfunction. Low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction, and premature, retrograde, or absent ejaculation affect the individual and their partners. This article lists some medicines that can cause erectile dysfunction in men and outlines some treatment options.

Drugs that can cause erectile problems

Medicines that may contribute to erectile dysfunction in men

Certain medicines may contribute to erection problems in men, although they are not always the root cause of the condition. A man who suspects an erection problem that may be due to a particular medical condition should speak to their doctor. If possible, your healthcare specialist will recommend changing the dosage or switching medicines. A person should not discontinue their treatment unless their doctor advises them. Some medicines that may contribute to erectile dysfunction are given below:

Antidepressants:

Many antidepressants cause sexual issues. Serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors inhibit desire and cause ED in men. They also impair orgasm in some patients. Tricyclic antidepressant medicines inhibit sexual desire and orgasm. The effects of specific medicines vary depending on their mode of action.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are also linked with sexual dysfunction. However, the use of moclobemide was reported for sexual desire.
Other antidepressants, such as mirtazapine and venlafaxine, negatively affect sexual function.

Antihypertensives:

Antihypertensives are prescription medicines used to lower blood pressure. These drugs may cause ED, though doctors have not yet established why this happens.

Examples of antihypertensive agents:

  • Beta-blockers such as atenolol and metoprolol

  • Spironolactone

  • Some diuretics such as furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide

  • Clonidine

Men Halth - Drugs that can cause erectile problems

Antipsychotic Drugs

Some antipsychotic drugs may affect sexual dysfunction more than other drugs. Men taking antipsychotic drugs report ED, decreased orgasm, inhibited or retrograde ejaculation, and reduced interest in sex. Most antipsychotic medicines cause sexual dysfunction by dopamine receptor blockade.

Antiepileptics

Sexual dysfunction is common in people using antiepileptic drugs. Topiramate and gabapentin have been associated with orgasmic dysfunction in men.

Treatment for Cancer

The impact of cancer and its treatment on the patient and their partner can have a negative impact on can have a significant negative impact on their sexual relationship. Many cancer treatments can contribute to sexual dysfunction. As common examples, long-acting gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists prescribed for prostate cancer result in hypogonadism, significantly reducing sexual desire and erection problems.

Medicines for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms are more likely to experience sexual dysfunction. Although surgery and various treatments can help improve lower urinary tract symptoms, some of these therapies may also cause or worsen ED and ejaculatory dysfunction.

Other Drugs That Can Cause Sexual Dysfunction

Antiandrogens such as cimetidine, cyproterone acetate, digoxin, cimetidine, and spironolactone block the androgen receptor. They cause a reduction in sexual desire in both sexes and affect arousal.

Using steroids such as prednisone for many chronic inflammatory disorders results in low testosterone, which reduces sexual desire and causes ED. Immunosuppressive agents such as everolimus and sirolimus are widely used in kidney transplantation and can affect gonadal function, ultimately causing ED. Immunosuppressive agents such as everolimus and sirolimus are widely used in kidney transplantation and can affect the gonadal function and cause ED. Protease inhibitors for HIV cause ED in over half of men taking them. Many other medicines, including pseudoephedrine, opioids, antihistamines, and recreational drugs, may give rise to sexual dysfunction and should be discussed during the doctor’s consultation.
Can blood thinners and muscle relaxers cause ED?

Eliquis is a blood thinner that does not cause or exacerbate ED symptoms. On the other hand, muscle relaxants such as baclofen and ibuprofen may cause reduced desire and ED in men. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Strategies To Manage Sexual Dysfunction

Non-pharmaceutical approaches include therapy with a clinical psychologist who has a better knowledge of sexual dysfunction. Various methods have been tried to treat drug-induced sexual dysfunction, including drug switching and dose reduction. Taking a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor at the time of intercourse has become the standard of care for men. It improves erections in most men with hypertension. However, these drugs should not be used in men using nitrates and should be used carefully in people with alpha-blockers, where postural hypotension can be a problem.

Conclusion

Patients on long-term medications may not know their sexual dysfunction has developed because of their treatment. If you suspect you have ED because of a medical condition or a treatment, immediately discuss it with your doctor. Understanding a disease’s impact and treatment’s effects on patients and their partners is critical to providing good clinical care. The patient needs to enquire about the effects of drugs on sexual function. This will ensure patients and their partners understand their sexual issues and treatment options.