Viagra is a pill taken by men for the treatment of erectile dysfunction or impotence. In March 1998, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved Viagra, making it the first pill legalized for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Since its induction, over 23 million men have used Viagra worldwide.
Viagra, whose chemical name is sildenafil citrate, acts to prevent a substance called PDE 5 from interfering with the process of achieving an erection. In men with no potency problems, PDE 5 is sent into the penis after ejaculation, causing the erection to subside. Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction experience PDE 5 as being too active and inhibiting an erection from the start. Viagra acts to reduce overaggressive PDE 5 by opening up blood vessels and stimulating blood flow to the penis.
