If you have been living in a cave for the past few months, you may not know about  (sildenafil citrate), an FDA-approved "wonder drug" that has proven successful in treating erectile dysfunction. It works by blocking the chemical that breaks down cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which helps relax smooth muscle cells. This effect, in turn, increases the blood flow to the penis and makes it much easier for a man to get and maintain an erection. Not surprisingly, and to the delight of Pfizer, the drug's manufacturer, this pharmaceutical blockbuster has taken the world by storm.

What

Unfortunately, the rave reviews have not been untinged by mishap. A Reuters news story documents the ease with which Canadian citizens have been able to procure Impotence Treatment Medication from the website CyberDocs, without having been examined by physicians to assure the drug's appropriate prescription. Sixteen deaths by Impotence Treatment Medication users indicate that the drug can have dangerous effects, although evidence indicates that exertion and consumption of nitroglycerin for heart disease probably were responsible for the deaths.

Pfizer's response? Research  to succeed Impotence Treatment Medication without its potential side effects is well on its way. Effects from the original drug include blue-tinged vision, mild headaches and incompatibility with some heart drugs. The drug company hopes not only to eliminate these symptoms but also to develop a second version that could go under the tongue; this method would activate the drug within minutes. At the present, the user must wait for an hour before the pill kicks in.

Other Effects

There are also effects of Impotence Treatment Medication against which label warnings will prove ineffective. The Nation's Christopher Hitchens andThe New York Times'Jane Brody have both written intellectually motivated, emotionally earnest stories on Impotence Treatment Medication's potential effects on the ever-shaky male-female dynamic.

Impotence: What is it and how should you treat it?

Let's face it, impotence is a heady subject. Masters and Johnson cite alcohol and fear as primary causes, better treated by abstinence and counseling than pharmaceutical assistance. The Mining Company's Peter Sandor Gardos also expresses concern: "(T)his drug will be given to men who really need relationship or personal counseling. Thus, many men will not get the help they really need. Difficulties with erections are often merely a symptom of underlying problems."

Online Impotence Resources

So where should you go? Some places on the Web you can look: Start by reading the National Institutes on Health conference statement on impotence that gives analysis and recommendations on the problem. Successfully Treating Impotence also offers a variety of proven approaches to treating prolonged impotence, offering a free info kit, online guide to impotence, online survey and a list of physicians in your area who are available for consultation. Finally, you can discuss your situation with other people in the same boat in the Usenet newsgroup alt.support. impotence.