Hypertension is one of the most common medical conditions, along with diabetes and high cholesterol, to be associated with erectile dysfunction (ED). In addition many blood-pressure-lowering medications, particularly beta-blockers and diuretics, may adversely affect erectile function.
Levitra (vardenafil HCl), a PDE5 inhibitor, was shown to be effective in treating ED in men receiving one or more medications for the treatment of hypertension, according to data published in a recent issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients treated with Levitra experienced an 83% overall success rate in erectile function while also receiving one or more anti-hypertensive medications.
“This study demonstrated that Levitra was well-tolerated when used concomitantly with anti-hypertensive medications in patients not previously treated with PDE5 inhibitors,” said study author Dr Hermann van Ahlen, University of Muenster, Germany.
Study investigators carried out a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of flexible-dose Levitra in men with treated hypertension and ED who had not previously used Levitra or other PDE5 inhibitors. In this study, use of alpha blockers was not permitted.
The study, conducted at 98 primary care sites in Germany, involved 354 patients over age 18 who had experienced ED for more than 6 months. Levitra was well-tolerated and effective at improving all ED efficacy parameters. There was no significant difference in the frequency of adverse events when patients were grouped according to the type of anti-hypertensive medications being received. Compared with placebo, Levitra significantly improved patients’ ability to successfully have intercourse.