Side Effects from Hepatitis C Treatment Cause Impotence

doctors should pay more attention to the sexual side effects of drugs

Ukmedix News is aware of the fact that many medications have side effects which can cause sexual dysfunction in both men and women.  For example a lot of men who use antidepressants report erectile dysfunction which in many cases makes them stop taking the medication. Recent research done in New York shows that men using the antiviral medications peginterferon and ribavirin to treat chronic hepatitis also suffer from sexual dysfunction. They specifically noted that when these drugs were used in combination man reported weaker erectile function as well as lower levels of desire and sexual satisfaction.

Dr. Lorna Dove from the New York Presbyterian Medical Center explained that men who were about to be given the peginterferon and ribavirin combination should be warned about the likelihood of suffering from sexual problems and should be possibly given counseling about it. The researchers did not specify whether the use of the drugs Viagra, Cialis and Levitra could be useful in negating the side effects from the previously mentioned drugs.

The study which was done on 260 men involved sexual health questionnaires been given to them before and after the study. The results showed an increase in sexual problems at the end of the study most of which disappeared when the drug treatment was discontinued. Unfortunately many doctors do not sufficiently counsel their patients about side effects of medications especially when it comes to embarrassing sexual issues. This can cause anxiety and worry which is detrimental to improved health and in many cases to men stopping taking the drug treatment which only makes their original condition worse.

Since good sexual function is an important part of good mental health doctors should pay more attention to the sexual side effects of drugs and should try only to use them when absolutely necessary. Using other drugs which have the option of no side effects is always a much better option. The research was published in the medical journal Gastroenterology.