CPD Articles

A review of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors

N. Schellack, A. Agoro
South African Family Practice | Vol 56, No 2 : March/April| a4050 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/20786204.2014.10855345 | © 2014 | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 08 April 2014 | Published: 19 May 2014

About the author(s)

N. Schellack, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Limpopo, South Africa
A. Agoro, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Limpopo, South Africa

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Abstract

Currently, three phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are available for clinical use in South Africa; sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil. The PDE inhibitors are used in males to treat erectile dysfunction. However, sildenafil is also registered for use in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Newer studies are investigating the use of these drugs for other conditions, including hypertension, ischaemia or reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure and other peripheral circulatory conditions, e.g. Raynaud’s disease. The article provides a broad overview of the mechanism of action, indications, pharmacokinetics and side-effects of these agents.

Keywords

phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors; erectile dysfunction; cardiac failure; pulmonary hypertension

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