Viagra and High Blood Pressure:
Is It Safe?

If you're considering taking Viagra and high blood pressure is a condition with which you've been diagnosed, it's important for you to consider whether or not this type of medication should be used. Viagra is a medication that helps to improve erections in men. High blood pressure is a condition that can sometimes have the side effect of inhibiting sexual performance.

Before you decide to take Viagra, though, you need to ensure that it's safe for you to do so.

You need to know how Viagra works and how it can affect your high blood pressure. Viagra works by dilating the blood vessels, which allows more blood to flow. As this medication enters the body, it leads to the body's vessels opening up, which allows for blood pressure to drop. This is a good thing for those who have high blood pressure, because it reduces the risk to the heart. However, there are complications.

Those men who are taking medications to dilate their blood pressure, including medications such as diuretics, ACE inhibitors and alpha blockers already have medications in their blood to reduce blood pressure and dilate those blood vessels. By taking Viagra, too, you could be causing a significant drop in your body's blood pressure to dangerous lows and quickly.

Clinical Trials Shed Light

How dangerous can Viagra be to those with hypertension? The risk factors were not well known until a study was conducted in 2002, when some patients were asked to participate in taking Viagra. These patients had high blood pressure and were taking medications for it. However, in the study, only a small percentage of patients had adverse side effects from the medication combination. In many cases, the men continued to take Viagra as they found it offered improved results in erections without any adverse side effects.

What Should You Do?

If you have hypertension and are taking medications for it, it's best to speak with your doctor about the medications you are on before you begin to take any type of sexual enhancement, including Viagra. In most cases, Viagra and high blood pressure are not a problem; however, this is dependent on the type and quantity of the other medications you're currently taking.

Of course, since you need to obtain Viagra via a prescription, it's best to tell your doctor about your high blood pressure and other medications first, before you obtain that prescription.




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