Increased recreational use of Viagra

After Viagra became the first anti-impotence pill on the market, U.S. Senator Bob Dole, now 81, became its most famous advocate, sharing his sexual dysfunction issues on national television.

But Viagra is no longer the only medicine of the geriatric group. Its use among younger men has more than tripled since it was launched in 1998, according to a survey appearing in the August 5 issue of the International Journal of Impotence Research .

The most surprising finding, said study author Tome Delate, is "the fact that there was less use for medical necessity." Many younger users, he suspects, are simply trying to improve their normal performance. While Viagra isn't dangerous for these men, Delate wonders if it's wise to spend health care dollars on what constitutes recreational use of a prescription drug.

Delate, a former director of research for Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management company, and his team conducted the study to assess the use of Viagra and other so-called lifestyle drugs. "We wanted to see who was taking them, if there was an increase in use among age groups, who was prescribing them, and if they had a medical need for these drugs," Delate said.

Viagra helps men get erections by increasing blood flow to the penis, and two other prescription drugs have teamed up to treat erectile dysfunction, Cialis (tadalafil) and Levitra (vardenafil), which are also very advertised to consumers.

The Delate team examined nearly 163,000 Viagra prescriptions dispensed to nearly 49,000 patients over five years. With that data, he said, those who manage pharmacy benefits can decide on coverage, Delate said. "With the increase in the price of health care, are we willing to pay for these lifestyle drugs for a few?" she questioned.

Overall, use among men increased and use among women decreased (Viagra is not indicated for women). But Delate found that its use among young men had increased more rapidly among young men than among older men. Its use increased by 312 percent among men ages 18 to 45, while it increased by 216 percent among men ages 46 to 55.

However,  비아그라 판매  over the age of 56 continued to receive the majority of Viagra prescriptions, Delate noted.

When the Delate team evaluated claims for the drug that could trigger erection problems, they found that the proportion of users who had two or more claims for this drug had decreased, leading them to assume that much of the use was for enhancement.

"It's a safe drug, particularly for young, healthy men," said Dr. Ira Sharlip, a San Francisco urologist and a spokesman for the American Urological Association. In a healthy population, he said, side effects are usually minor and temporary, such as headache, flushed face, stuffy nose and unclear vision.