Drugs That Cause Erectile Dysfunction
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Dr. Warisha holds an MBBS degree from GMERS Medical College, Ahmedabad. She has an in depth experience on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Anoush Gomes is a seasoned Content Writer with over 10 years of experience, specializing in various writing styles such as medical content, creative writing, storytelling, and research papers. Anoush embarked on a unique journey, starting with pre-medical studies at the Dante Aligheri Academy and the University of Miami, where she earned a Bachelor's degree with a major in Biology and a minor in Psychology. Having pursued medical school and completed clinicals, Anoush transitioned to the world of medical content writing, where her passion for both healthcare and writing converged. Her writing skills encompass persuasive, narrative, expository, and descriptive styles, making complex medical concepts accessible to diverse audiences. Beyond her professional endeavors, Anoush is a multi-faceted individual with a rich tapestry of interests. A writer, artist, poet, avid reader, certified nerd, and hopeful author, she finds inspiration in the intersection of creativity and science. Whether crafting engaging medical narratives or weaving captivating stories, Anoush combines her diverse background and writing expertise to deliver compelling content that resonates with diverse audiences.
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Updated on 03 November, 2023
- Article was updated as part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
"The following blog article provides information about a drug or brand name drug and its potential effects or benefits. However, it is crucial to understand that this information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical consultation. It is highly recommended to consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions regarding medication, treatment, or healthcare management.
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Individuals have unique medical conditions, and the information provided in this article may not be applicable to everyone. Only a qualified healthcare provider can evaluate your specific medical situation, taking into account your medical history, conducting appropriate tests, and providing personalized advice and recommendations. They are equipped to make informed decisions tailored to your individual needs.
It is crucial to emphasize that self-diagnosis, self-medication, or disregarding medical advice can have serious health consequences. This article may reference specific brand names or drugs for illustrative purposes. Mention of these names does not imply endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee of their efficacy or safety. The choice of medication should be based on discussions and individualized guidance from a healthcare professional who has a comprehensive understanding of your medical condition.
"Can medicine cause erectile dysfunction? The physiology of an erection is often subdued by common medications. There are medicines that dampen the level of sexual function and performance and can cause erectile dysfunction (ED).
If a man is experiencing ED to some extent when he has started a new course of medicine, it is better to seek a consultation with a physician to get the causes checked. There are drugs that cause erectile dysfunction and must be identified so that a new course of medication should be chosen for disease management and treatment.
Physiology of Erectile Dysfunction
To understand this, we need to understand the physiology of an erection in simpler words. There are chambers made of smooth muscles, tissues and blood vessels (arteries and veins) in the penile shaft.
When a male penis is sexually aroused by touch or by thoughts in the brain, the blood vessels start inflating and take in more blood. The smooth muscles in the chambers relax and let the arteries and vessels swell up. The chambers stiffen due to an inflow of blood. Once the semen is released, sexual function dampens and the blood flows out of the tissues.
When there is an issue of blood flowing in the chambers or maintaining an erection for a considerable period, it is termed erectile dysfunction (ED). If the stiffness or the time span is not enough for sexual function, it is coined as ED and needs to be clinically diagnosed.
How do Drugs cause Erectile Dysfunction?
Well, drugs that cause erectile issues can be explained by their pharmacological actions. These biochemical compounds have been designed to mimic a particular biochemical chain of reactions in the human body. Medications target specific reactions or locations in the human body and work on the issues to treat a disease.
In some cases, the medicinal effect of the drugs administered might hinder the natural process of a penile erection. We can segment and list the drugs that are associated with erectile dysfunction and learn how they cause it.
List of medications that cause erectile dysfunction
Antidepressants
Most antidepressants focus on the serotonin reuptake mode of action. Most drugs work as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. It means they don’t let the serotonin be reabsorbed by the body and let it remain to make a person happier. This drug results in a heightened feeling of calmness and reduce anxiety.
This sense of calmness can actually reduce libido. A man may feel less interested in sexual intercourse. His response to sexual stimuli will be reduced as the sex hormonal transmission to the brain will be reduced.
The anti-depression medications that cause ED are:
Mitriptyline (Elavil)
Buspirone (Buspar)
Amoxapine (Asendin)
Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
Clomipramine (Anafranil)
Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
Clorazepate (Tranxene)
Diazepam (Valium)
Desipramine (Norpramin)
Doxepin (Sinequan)
Fluphenazine (Prolixin)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Isocarboxazid (Marplan)
Imipramine (Tofranil)
Lorazepam (Ativan)
Mesoridazine (Serentil)
Meprobamate (Equanil)
Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
Phenelzine (Nardil)
Oxazepam (Serax)
Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Sertraline (Zoloft)
Thiothixene (Navane)
Trifluoperazine (Stelazine)
Thioridazine (Mellaril)
Tranylcypromine (Parnate)
If a patient is suffering from depression or any psychiatric disorder and is experiencing ED, it should be discussed with a psychiatrist. Depression alone can reduce sexual function. Understanding the medicinal effect on erection should be differentiated and determined too so that the meds that cause ED can be changed.
Antihistaminic Drugs
Antihistamines are medicines that can be availed of over the counter (OTC). These medicines block the action of histamine, a biochemical substance that causes an allergic reaction in the human body. It is found that 1st-generation antihistamines contributed to the level of ED a person experiences. On the contrary, 2nd-generation antihistamines such as fexofenadine, loratadine and cetirizine are less associated with ED but might have an inducing effect.
The list of antihistaminic medicines that cause erectile dysfunction is:
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
Hydroxyzine (Vistaril)
Nizatidine (Axid)
Ranitidine (Zantac)
Meclizine (Antivert)
Promethazine (Phenergan)
If an allergy medication is causing this sexual dysfunction then it should be discussed with a physician. Changing the medicines might help in managing ED. Some of them are OTC drugs that cause erectile dysfunction.
Diuretics (Water Pills) and other medicines related to high blood pressure
As per scientific research, this sexual dysfunction is an occasional effect caused by medicines aimed at reducing and controlling blood pressure and managing cardiovascular disease. Common blood pressure medicines such as beta-blockers, loop diuretics and thiazide diuretics reduce the blood flow to the penis and are what drugs cause a man to not get hard.
However, the most likely drugs to cause erectile dysfunction are Angiotensin receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, and alpha-blockers.
Here is the list of blood pressure drugs that cause ED.
Atenolol (Tenormin)
Bethanidine
Bumetanide (Bumex)
Captopril (Capoten)
Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
Chlorthalidone (Hygroton)
Clonidine (Catapres)
Enalapril (Vasotec)
Furosemide (Lasix)
Guanabenz (Wytensin)
Guanethidine (Ismelin)
Guanfacine (Tenex)
Haloperidol (Haldol)
Hydralazine (Apresoline)
Hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix)
Labetalol (Normodyne)
Methyldopa (Aldomet)
Metoprolol (Lopressor)
Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
Phenoxybenzamine (Dibenzyline)
Phentolamine (Regitine)
Prazosin (Minipress)
Propranolol (Inderal)
Reserpine (Serpasil)
Spironolactone (Aldactone)
Triamterene (Maxzide)
Verapamil (Calan)
It is ideal to monitor the occurrence of ED in a person who has been recently diagnosed with high blood pressure and is consuming medicines from this list of what meds cause ED. A physician will be able to provide a treatment plan by determining the effect of high blood pressure medicines to avoid this sexual dysfunction. Medical consultation is the only to determine what medications cause ED and to redesign a blood pressure management plan.
Parkinson’s’ medicines
The medicines designed to manage and treat Parkinson’s disease affect the central nervous system (CNS) resulting in the development of ED for some patients. Patients have reportedly been unable to maintain or attain an erection due to the hindrance in the blood flow in the penile shaft and pelvic muscles.
The list of Parkinson’s medicines that cause ED are:
Biperiden (Akineton)
Benztropine (Cogentin)
Bromocriptine (Parlodel)
Trihexyphenidyl (Artane)
Levodopa (Sinemet)
Procyclidine (Kemadrin)
In the same aspect, medical practitioners will be able to identify the problem and can redesign a Parkinson’s treatment to avoid the occurrence of this sexual dysfunction.
Hormonal medicines and chemotherapy
Hormonal medicines can hinder the effect of sex hormones resulting in reduced libido. They can also dampen the effect of blood flowing into the penis and cause ED. Hormone therapy can, thus, hinder sexual arousal and affect libido to a considerable extent.
In the same context, chemotherapy can cause vasculature damage and neural issues. Due to this, a patient is unable to attain or maintain an erection. It may happen that the erection problem disappears once the chemotherapy is over.
Here is the list of medication that causes erectile dysfunction in this aspect.
Antiandrogens (Casodex, Flutamide, Nilutamide)
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
Busulfan (Myleran)
LHRH agonists (Lupron, Zoladex)
Ketoconazole
LHRH antagonist (Firmagon)
Recreational Substances
There are certain substances that are abused as recreational drugs. Amphetamines reduce the lumen size of blood vessels and prevent blood from reaching the penis at an adequate amount. Barbiturates, on the other hand, reduce libido and sexual arousal. Nicotine also reduces sexual desire among smokers. The list of what medicines cause ED in the recreational drugs section is:
Alcohol
Barbiturates
Amphetamines
Marijuana
Cocaine
Heroin
Nicotine
Repeated use of recreational substances can cause ED and can also hamper mental health. Apart from what medications cause erectile dysfunction, these habits can also affect the sexual performance of users. Major lifestyle changes and learning what medicines can cause erectile dysfunction are needed to get over these recreational substances and gain back sexual prowess and mental health.
Other Medicines
There are other medicines that do not fall on these lists but have been a reason to cause ED. The list of what medications can cause erectile dysfunction in this section is:
Aminocaproic acid (Amicar)
Clofibrate (Atromid-S)
Atropine
Cyproterone
Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Dutasteride (Avodart)
Disopyramide (Norpace)
Estrogen
Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar)
H2 blockers (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid)
Indomethacin (Indocin)
Furazolidone (Furoxone)
Metoclopramide (Reglan)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, ibuprofen, etc.)
Lipid-lowering agents
Licorice
Orphenadrine (Norflex)
Prochlorperazine (Compazine)
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
Sumatriptan (Imitrex)
If a man is experiencing ED, he needs to explain the medical treatments he adopted on a regular basis to understand the sexual side effects properly. The physician will then be able to explain the adverse effects and how they affect the condition. He will also provide a new plan for the management of erectile dysfunction without hampering your current medical condition.
Conclusion
The answer to which drugs can cause erectile dysfunction is explained in this article. We can clearly understand how various families of medicine can cause ED. The segregation of these medications will enable you to get a clear idea of what can be the underlying sexual side effects you are experiencing. The symptoms of erectile dysfunction need to be analysed.
Consult an health expert and find out what drugs can cause erectile dysfunction. Explain your prescription drugs to the doctor and he will assist you to make a difference by creating a new treatment plan for ongoing disease treatment. Understanding what meds cause erectile dysfunction and changing medications can significantly aid in overcoming ED issues but it should be done under proper medical supervision to avoid the risk factors.
