Recreational use of erectile dysfunction drug is risky

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

The use of sildenafil for recreational purposes is linked to a higher risk of sexually transmitted disease.
Sildenafil and related drugs are safe and effective for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. But they should only be taken under medical supervision. Unfortunately, it's possible to buy these drugs on the internet and some men are using them to enhance their sexual pleasure, even if they don't need them to treat an erection problem.

Researchers at San Francisco Department of Public Health have been looking at the sexual behavior of men using sildenafil in a recreational way. The studies reviewed all involved men who had sex with men. Users were more likely to have unprotected sex and were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease. Men newly infected with HIV were 2.5 times more likely to be using sildenafil than not.

What is more, there was a trend towards mixing sildenafil with other drugs, which could be dangerous. Clearly, recreational use of sildenafil and other drugs for erectile dysfunction is a potentially very serious public health issue; both men, and their doctors, need to be more informed of the possible dangers.

Source
American Journal of Medicine June 2005 Volume 118 Number 6

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