Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Medications and Sexual Dysfunction: What's the Connection?
Are your prescriptions medications causing sexual problems? Johns Hopkins experts provide advice.
Every drug has its own profile of strengths and weaknesses. While a pill may be hailed as the miracle cure of the moment, the substance will, almost inevitably, have an undesirable downside. Because of this, physicians must weigh the risk-to-benefit ratio before they prescribe any medication.
Each year, doctors in this country write more than 1.5 billion prescriptions. This averages out to about six prescriptions for each person in the U.S. Many patients -- and their doctors, as well -- are simply not aware of the fact that scores of the most commonly prescribed drugs have been implicated, or at least strongly suspected, in either the development or worsening of sexual dysfunction.
A variety of common medications can cause sexual dysfunction. The most common offenders are prescription drugs for high blood pressure, heart ailments and allergies. If a person is taking more than one medication, the adverse effects may be cumulative. In some circumstances, people may be faced with having to take medications (for their inherent benefits), despite a high likelihood that it is causing sexual dysfunction. It's an ironic and frustrating situation to be in.
Sometimes, patients will suspect that the medication mix is responsible for, or contributing to, their sexual sexual dysfunction. On their own, they may decide to try lowered dosages or stop taking the drugs altogether. This can be very dangerous and should certainly be avoided until one has spoken with their physician. In the case of high blood pressure medication, lack of the drug may cause blood pressure increases to dangerously high levels, which may predispose to a stroke or heart attack.
Although there are more than two hundred medications on the market known to compromise sexual performance, this often gets little attention. While this may be distressing, patients rarely voice their concerns about sexual dysfunction. Importantly, your physician may not even be aware of this problem if you do not bring it to their attention. When it comes to avoiding certain medications because of sexual dysfunction, there is no simple answer. Not every drug will cause problems for each patient who uses it. However, if you notice that you are now having sexual problems where none existed before, take a good look at all the medications you're taking.
Posted in Heart Health on September 1, 2006
Reviewed June 2011
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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What are the most commonly used medications used for treatment of high blood pressure and for the treatment of coronary artery disease with high cholesterol which cause or contribute to male sexual dysfunction. Specifically erectile dysfunction and diminished libido?
Posted by: kpie102482 | January 3, 2010 6:31 PM
Could you please provide me with information identifying the heart most common high blood pressure medications that are associated with erectile dysfuntion and decrease in libido?
Posted by: lawrence1 | December 28, 2010 11:24 AM
Could you please provide me with information identifying the heart most common high blood pressure medications that are associated with erectile dysfuntion and decrease in libido
Posted by: 2211 | May 7, 2011 7:39 PM
My medications have been the following for many years since a silent myocardial infarction at age 55 and a very strong family history of cardiovascular disease/myocardial infarction and lipid disorders: Lipitor, Plavix, Altace, and multivitamins plus calcium citrate plus vitamin D3(4000 milligrams not units) and lorazepam 1-2 mg at bedtime. I was disabled after a fall from 18 feet onto my back with resultant vertebral fractures T9, T10, "blow out fracture" of L1 and compression fractures of L4 and L5. I took Viagra for ED at 100mg and was able to function sexually for about one year, but the last one to two years I have not been able to attain or maintain an erection. Which of the medications do you suspect or know are contributory to this problem. I am just seventy ine years old and continue with "mechanical back pain" after several evaluations at Mayo Clinic.....I've had extensive PT for my back injury but no surgery and no radicular type pain but I am very osteopenic.
Posted by: kpie102482 | May 9, 2011 5:10 PM
Speriva inhaler medication is reported to cause enlarged prostrate,however ,my Pulmonologist states that the amount of medication entering the blood streame is miniscule resulting in little or no damage to the prostrate.
Posted by: mtsmgm | September 16, 2011 8:56 PM
I take Lipitor 40mg/day, Plavix 75mg/day, Altace 10mg/day and had done so since 1996 after an angiogram revealled an area of non-transmural/non-Q wave infarct in the lateral wall of the left ventricle.....totally asymptomatic but for new onset of fatigue after several arduous months of work and stress in my professional exercise as a physician and surgeon undergoing a divorce after twenty-three years of marriage to the same woman. At the time I was fifty-six years old, had smoken socially for 20 years rarely more than one package of cigarettes per week and was slender and fit and sexually active one to three times per month monogamously.
In 2003 I fell eighteen feet onto a cement driveway landing flat on my back with resulting five vertebral fractures including a three-pole/"blowout fracture" of L-1. Fortunately no apparent radicular pain or injury was noted, but I persisted in chronic low back pain which is still present. Several consultations and examinations by local neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons combined and several trips to the Mayo clinic resulted in a diagnosis of "mechanical back pain." I was prescibed oral narcotics which I took for less than a week, but discontinued due to hallucinations and constipation problems. I was forced to retire because of my physical limitation resulting from the injury; I was unable to walk, sit or stand for more than 20" before needing to lydown. Lorazepam 2.0 mg bid prn was prescribed and was effective in relieving my pain and permitting me to walk and stand enough to undergo an 18month physical therapy program at the hospital and at present I can be almost normally mobile unless I begin to get back spasms of sufficient intensity to need to lydown or take lorazepam. However, I have noted that I have had increasingly more problems with erectile dysfunction despite a complete medical evaluation by urology, endocrinology and psychiatry and psychology.
I believe the ED is due to the lorazepam which I take before bedtime so that I can lie down and sleep. Interestingly, initial use of Viagra resulted in complete resolution of the ED....for a few months only, but now I am completely impotent.
Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.
Thank you for your courtesy and attention.
Sincerely,
kpie102482@aol.com
Posted by: kpie102482 | December 9, 2011 12:11 PM
I am on several meds. since 2000: Sotolol, Plavix, Xanax, Asprin, Tramadol and/or Percoset, Synthroid and Antivert. The only constant ones are Sotolol, Plavix, Asprin and Tramadol. The Percoset only with severe pain and Xanax only when needed. My libido is completely gone and have even been on compounding therapy creams for progesterone/test. will no benefits. What could be holding my libido back, all, some or none?
Posted by: bsr9999 | January 12, 2012 8:18 AM
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Thank you so much for the info. It is very helpful.
Posted by: kesselmills | June 2, 2009 5:54 AM