Stendra Becomes First Erectile Dysfunction Drug To Be Approved By FDA In More Than A Decade
The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced that it has approved Stendra (Avanafil), a new drug that helps in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED).
Created by Vivus Inc. the drug is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor, the same class of drug as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. Essentially the drug works by increasing blod flow to the penis. According to Medical News Today Stendra is the first type 5 drug to be approved for the US market in more than a decade.
In the meantime MedPage Today Staff Writer Charles Bankhead writes that the FDA agreed to approve the drug as a valid treatment after three randomized, controlled clinical trials involved more than 1,200 ED patients proved to be effective. In those cases men were able to achieve an erection in as little as 15 minutes after taking the drugs while the rate for maintaining an erection for sexual intercourse increased from 15% to 57% when compared to just 27% for placebos.
According to Daniel J. DeNoon of WebMD Health News:
“In clinical trials, 77% of men with general ED were able to get erections after taking Stendra, compared to 54% of men taking an inactive placebo pill. Among men with diabetes-related ED, 63% were able to get erections after taking the drug, compared to 42% of men taking placebo,” said DeNoon. “Stendra resulted in successful intercourse for 57% of men with general ED (vs. 27% of men taking placebo) and for 40% of men with diabetes-related ED (vs. 20% of men taking placebo).”
Just like Viagra, Levitra and Cialis the drug should not be taken by patients who take nitrates for chest pain because it could result in a risky decrease in blood pressure. Other side effects of Stendra include headaches, redness in the face or in other parts of the body, nasal congestion, or back pain.
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