PDE5 inhibitor
Also called Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, phosphodiesterase inhibitor
A PDE5 inhibitor (phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor) is a medicine that blocks an enzyme, phosphodiesterase type 5, that is involved in controlling blood flow. By blocking it, the drug increases blood flow to the penis during sexual stimulation. It does not cause an erection on its own and does not raise desire.
FDA-approved examples include sildenafil (sold as Viagra) and tadalafil (sold as Cialis). Tadalafil is also used for the urinary symptoms of an enlarged prostate, and both drugs are used, under other brand names (Revatio, Adcirca), for pulmonary arterial hypertension, where they relax the blood vessels in the lungs.
Why it matters after 45
Erectile dysfunction becomes more common with age, though it is not a natural part of aging, and an enlarged prostate is the most common prostate condition after 50. Both are why midlife men meet this class. Because the class can interact dangerously with nitrate medicines for chest pain, and sexual activity can strain a heart that already has disease, clinicians review heart health and the full medication list before it is prescribed.
Where it comes up
Related terms
References
- MedlinePlus. Tadalafil. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a604008.html
- MedlinePlus. Sildenafil. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a699015.html
- MedlinePlus. Erectile Dysfunction. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/erectiledysfunction.html
- MedlinePlus. Enlarged Prostate (BPH). U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/enlargedprostatebph.html
Definitions here are educational and are not medical advice. They explain what a term means; the pages linked above cover what it means for you, and a clinician reviews your own results. Editorial & medical review policy · All glossary terms