What Drugs Should Be Avoided While Using Viagra?

Viagra is primarily used to augment sexual function. The drugs work by dilating vessels leading to the penis so that you retain a firm erection. In so doing, it harnesses its key ingredient – sildenafil citrate. This is a PDE5 inhibitor that uses nitrate for this process. Thus when you take Viagra, you should avoid certain kinds of tablets, especially those that have a similar composition. Here are the drugs that you should avoid while using Viagra.

Viagra is probably the most popular sex pill available. It's a sure treatment for ED problems. However, its use harbors unwanted side effects.

Yes, just like all kinds of drugs. They all fix your problems very quickly, but then delivers a punch to the gut with their abundance of side effects.

A study by the Journal of Family & Community Medicine has shown that flushing, headache, and heart failure are possible due to interaction with Viagra. Men who take nitrates are at a higher risk of morbidity. With that said, patients should be told of these possible side effects before going into treatment.

Just for your information before we go further, Viagra is never intended as a long-term solution.

Precisely for fear of side effects that could easily accumulate and cause mortal harm to your body.

Many men think that once they use Viagra they can depend on it for the rest of their lives, but the side effects that come with the use of Viagra may not be worth your dime.

These potential negative impacts are a result of using the medicine while you have underlying conditions.

But combining this magic tablet with other medications could lead to life-threatening implications. So, which drugs should you avoid while you are using Viagra?

We discuss them as below:

Drugs containing nitrates: Any medications that have nitrates in whatever form is dangerous when taken while on Viagra.

The consequence is a dangerous drop in blood pressure. The low blood pressure could cause dizziness, blue vision, and a loss in hearing.

All of these side effects may sound common in other people as well, but the chances of them appearing are much higher in people who take nitrates, according to a paper published in AHA Journals. Blood pressure in these patients can become critical and the effects tend to last longer.

In some extreme cases, the combined use of both Viagra and nitrate-based medication could lead to a person's death.

This combination is probably the most lethal of all. Any man who is taking nitrate-based medication should always consult his doctor about the use of Viagra.

Why is it that combining nitrate and Viagra can be this dangerous?

It is because nitrate and sildenafil (Viagra's active drug) work very similarly in lowering a person's blood pressure--if the blood pressure drops below normal a person could die.

When combined in a single usage the blood pressure could drop super rapidly that help might come too late.

People who are under nitrate medication are usually those that need treatment for high blood pressure and they should never use Viagra--at all-- to treat their issues with ED.

Other more natural methods must be exercised for this patient group.

Ask your doctor to resolve this conflict and get advice on other possible treatments.

Alpha-blocker drugs: These medicines lower blood pressure by restricting the function of norepinephrine that tightens the muscular walling of veins and arteries.

This action helps improve blood flow. The drugs include Uroxatral, Cardura, Minipress, and Flomax.

Similarly, the drug sildenafil in Viagra also works potently to drop blood pressure in men. This is mainly due to its mechanism in opening up blood vessels through the inhibition of the PDE5 enzyme.

PDE5 enzyme is that thing that restricts blood flow. When you have an abundance of this enzyme, your blood circulation becomes tightened.

Although Viagra is not exactly categorised as an alpha-blocker, its mechanism is quite similar in which the sildenafil drug blocks the production of the PDE5 enzyme so that a patient can reduce high blood pressure.

Similar to using nitrates, combining Viagra and an alpha-blocker could cause a sudden drop in blood pressure. This could also be fatal if not cared for immediately.

Beta-blockers: Like alpha-blockers, beta-blockers act on beta-adrenergic to reduce pressure by regulating the force and tempo of your heartbeat.

The drugs here include Tenormin, InnoPran, nadolol, atenolol, and Labetalol.

The use of beta-blockers is not as common as alpha-blockers, but its use with Viagra is still seen as risky, and even downright useless.

It is because the combined use of beta-blockers and Viagra just does not produce any significant results.

Beta-blockers actually alter some mechanism of your nervous system which typically lead to reduced signalling to the brain even when sexual arousal should happen.

The thing is, studies have shown that the use of sildenafil with beta-blockers can tend to create anxiety that instead causes the ED to become worse, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine. The patients knowing the side effects actually become so anxious they can’t get it up.

Without proper sexual arousal, Viagra cannot work to benefit a man because this drug is not an aphrodisiac.

It should be noted that Viagra doesn’t affect sex drive or appetite. So if your brain doesn’t receive the signal for sexual arousal, using Viagra produces not a single result.

And yet, you still suffer from the possible side effects of using this potent drug. It’s really not worth it.

Barbiturates: Drugs containing these compounds help in calming the body and as a depressant. They reduce muscle spasms, relieve anxiety, and prevents seizure.

Barbiturates have been in use for centuries and they are generally beneficial for human health. But not when combined with this ‘young’ drug called sildenafil.

When mixed with Viagra, they could lead to confusion and slurred speech, lack of coordination, and impaired judgment. They include Butapap, Fioricet, and Seconal.

HIV protease inhibitors: Drugs used to prevent protease enzyme activity are essential in keeping the HI virus from replicating while boosting immunity.

But when used with Viagra, they prevent it from working. They include Reyataz, Viracepts, Lexiva, Crxvan, Aptivus, and Prescobix.

Blood-thinning medicines: These medications ensure a smooth flow of blood through veins by dilating it.

It also prevents the clotting of blood, thus preventing heart conditions. When used by Viagra, they may lower your pressure precipitously down. Coumadin and Jantoven are examples.

There are actually a few good blood-thinning drugs that can be used as a treatment for ED itself.

Viagra itself can be considered a blood-thinning agent due to its mechanism, although it is not marketed for such purposes.

As such, if you want to avoid taking double drugs for blood-thinning which may endanger your life, you may consult with your doctor and ask if you could be given a blood-thinning drug that can work to benefit your ED at the same time.

Antifungal medications: This treatment works by disintegrating the cells wall membrane of fungi, causing its contents to ooze out, thus killing fungi.

But when used with Viagra, it can also weaken the body cells and prevents smooth transportation of this drug to the penis. They include Onmel, Sporanix, and Nizoral.

Grapefruit juice: Okay, grapefruit juice is not exactly a drug, but this substance falls under the category of things you should avoid when taking Viagra.

Basically, these two are not a good mix because the presence of grapefruit substances can increase the body's capacity for absorbing Viagra's drug content.

This high level of absorption is dangerous as it can be toxic to the body and put a person's life at risk.

As you can see, most drugs that work for blood pressure are not great with Viagra. This is because Viagra in and of itself is a drug that works similarly.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading “What Drugs Should Be Avoided While Using Viagra?”

Viagra has certain counteractions when they blend with other tablets in your system.

When you are using Viagra, avoid blood thinners and tablets with nitrates. You shouldn’t take Viagra with other generic Viagra pills.

There are alpha-blockers, and beta-blockers and even barbiturates which have extreme reaction with Viagra. Still antifungal treatments, antiviral and even the innocent grapefruit juice could cause dangerous impacts.

So you need to seek medical advice if you are already taking other pills.