Homosexual men misuse Viagra

According to recent research, approximately one out of six gay men use Viagra recreationally, and are more likely to do so if they are also using illegal drugs.Researchers from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, USA, asked 164 participants (men who were an average of 40 years old) to complete a questionnaire to find out how often men who had sex with men used Viagra (contains Sildenafil). They found that men who experimented with cocaine and ecstasy were nearly three times more likely to have used Viagra without a prescription in the previous three months. Taking Viagra may increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) because the drug can prolong sex and enhance the size of an erection, which increases friction. These are two effects that could conceivably foster tissue abrasion and therefore increase the chances of STI transmission.The participants reported an average of 10 sex partners during the past three months. Approximately 16 percent of the participants said they had tried non-prescription Viagra during sex in the past 3 months. Among people who also used ecstasy (mainly MDMA, technically known as 3,4-Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine) during sex, 35 percent said they also used Viagra, compared with only 13 percent of people who did not take ecstasy during sex. And 37 percent of cocaine-users also admitted to using Viagra, while only 13 percent of non-users said they had done so. Risky sexual behaviour such as having five or more sex partners or having unprotected anal sex had no effect on the use of Viagra.

The findings suggest that experts need to educate men about the potential risks of non-prescription use of Viagra.

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