Viagra effective for some women

In some postmenopausal women with sexual arousal problems, treatment with viagra (sildenafil) is effective and well tolerated. It has been found that compared with women taking an inactive pill, or placebo, those who receive sildenafil report substantial positive effects on sexual function, although there may be no benefit in women who also have less sexual desire.Researchers from the University of California - Los Angeles Medical Centre, USA, studied 202 women with a persistent or recurring inability to attain or maintain sufficient sexual excitement that caused personal distress. This was experienced as a lack of subjective excitement, genital lubrication / swelling, genital sensation or other somatic responses. To be part of the study, women had to have certain levels of hormones in their blood and/or be receiving hormone replacement therapy. Those with emotional or abuse issues that might contribute to the disorder were excluded.It was found that the benefits of the treatment included significant improvements in genital sensation during intercourse or stimulation and in their satisfaction with intercourse or foreplay, or both.

While there were significant improvements in patients on sildenafil, the researchers recommend that doctors should take a thorough medical and psychological history from women seeking treatment for sexual problems to determine if other methods of treatment could work.

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