Sexual Confidence

Men with Erectile Dysfunction Cite Reduction in Time Pressure to Perform and Increased Sexual Self-Confidence As Preference Points for Viagra

-- Additional Analysis Shows Couples Agree Viagra Improves Erectile Function in Men with ED and Increases Satisfaction with Sexual Experience --

"Erectile dysfunction can put a serious strain upon the emotional and physical well being of a man and his partner," said Stanley E. Althof, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Urology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH, USA and lead author. "Cialis offers a couple up to 36 hours to choose the moment for intimacy that is right for them, and can help reduce that strain."

Predictors for Preference Study Design and Results

Patient preferences for Cialis and Viagra were measured among 2,762 men in 21 countries who had a history of ED for three months or longer. The open-label trial showed that men suffering from ED who attempted sex beyond a 4-hour period preferred Cialis because of its long duration. The study enrolled men who were taking Viagra for six weeks or more prior to entering the trial. At study initiation, patients continued taking Viagra (at current dosage: 60% of patients took 50 mg Viagra, 34% of patients took 100 mg Viagra) an additional four weeks followed by a one-week wash out period. Patients were then given 20 mg Cialis for eight weeks. Participating men were instructed to take the medications on an as-needed basis, but no more than once a day, prior to sexual activity.

This study showed that 82 percent of the men preferred Cialis to Viagra (18 percent). Patients who experienced a reduction in the pressure on timing of sexual intercourse and increased sexual self-confidence were more likely to prefer Cialis over Viagra. These findings were based on the PAIRS assessment, which was administered at baseline, and at the end of Viagra and Cialis treatment phases. PAIRS is an internationally validated patient questionnaire used to measure behavioural, psychological and relationship outcomes associated with ED and its treatment.

"The study was designed to identify potential predictors of treatment preference for Cialis and Viagra among men with ED," said Chris McMahon, MD, Director of the Australian Centre for Sexual Health, St Luke's Hospital Complex, Sydney, Australia and lead author. "What we found is that men with a reduction in time pressure to perform and enhanced sexual self-confidence had a greater preference for Cialis."

Partner Satisfaction Data

In a separate analysis, data from men with ED (assigned to 10 or 20 mg Cialis or placebo for 12 weeks) and their female partners were analyzed from four double-blind, placebo-controlled trials involving more than 700 couples. Effectiveness and satisfaction were evaluated by the average percentage of "yes" responses to the Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP) diary questions for the patient (SEP Q1, Q2, Q5 dealing with erection achievement, penetration ability and overall satisfaction with the sexual experience, respectively) and the corresponding questions for his partner (SEP Q1, Q2, Q3) dealing with erection achievement, penetration ability and overall satisfaction with sexual experience, respectively). Patients also were asked to indicate whether their erection lasted long enough to have sexual intercourse (SEP Q3). For each couple, the number of attempts in which the couple agreed on an outcome (positive or negative) was tabulated and divided by the total number of attempts; the average percentage of agreement for all couples was then calculated. The SEP is a patient self-administered diary that is completed after each sexual encounter.

According to the analysis, there was a significant increase in "overall satisfaction" among couples who had successful intercourse (positive patient response to SEP Q3) after taking 20 mg Cialis. Eighty-two percent of women and 72 percent of men reported overall satisfaction with their sexual experience based upon positive responses to patient SEP Q5 and partner SEP Q3 (were you satisfied overall with this sexual experience). Among couples in the placebo group who had successful intercourse, 66.1 percent of women and 43.7 percent of men reported increased overall satisfaction with their sexual experience.

In the analysis of all patients entered into the study, for patients on 20 mg Cialis, positive responses to (SEP Q5 - overall satisfaction with sexual experience) increased from 5 percent to about 43 percent versus from 7 percent to about 14 percent for placebo. For the partners of patients on 20 mg Cialis, the positive responses to the corresponding question (SEP Q3) increased from 21 percent to about 53 percent versus from 19 percent to about 24 percent for placebo. About 68 percent of intercourse attempts, with the patient on 20 mg Cialis, resulted in successful penetration, as confirmed by both the patients and their partners, versus approximately 45 percent for placebo. There was a very high degree (more than 85 percent) of agreement in the responses (positive or negative) of the couple with regard to all of the questions analyzed.

About Viagra

• Helps most men with ED achieve harder erections
• Helps most men with ED maintain an erection during sex
• Can work in as little as 14 minutes*
• Partners were satisfied with how well VIAGRA improved erections of their men with ED^†
• Has a proven safety record
• Works for men with ED who also have a wide range of health issues

About ED

ED is defined as the consistent inability to attain and maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. As of 2004, it is estimated that approximately 189 million men worldwide will report having ED(3). Experts believe that 80 to 90 percent of ED cases are related to a physical or medical condition, like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and prostate cancer treatment, while 10 to 20 percent are due to psychological causes(4,5). In many cases, however, both psychological and physical factors contribute to the condition(6).

The bottom line is to build sexual confidence.