Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Rule Rattray asks

Q: Would substituting a daily 80MG dose of Isosorbide with Viagra once a week be reasonably safe?

I'm seventy-four years old, can still achieve penetration, but unfortunately, not for long. My doctor put me on a daily dose of 60MG of Isosorbide about three years ago, apparently as an angina preventative. (I've not had any chest pain for seven years now, after a four-way bypass in December of 2000.)

So here's my question, Since both Viagra and Isosorbide are vasodilators, and the danger in taking both at one time apparently lies in getting too much vasodilation, reulting in extremely low blood pressure, would it be harmful to take a low-dose Viagra as a substitute for my daily 60MG Isosorbide pill once a week or so? If not, how long must one go without any nitrate-containing medication before taking a single Viagra pill? Would twenty-four hours be enough time to make taking one Viagra pill for that weekly "special occasion" with my lady friend be at least reasonably safe?

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Answers (2)

Casey McNulty, Health Pro

6/17/08 10:28pm

Hi,

Thank you for your question. This is definitely an issue that you should discuss with your doctor. If you had a four-way bypass years ago, and have not experienced chest pain since the bypass, you may want to discuss with your doctor the possibility of discontinuing nitrate use. That being said, I would not recommend skipping doses of your isosorbide in order to take Viagra.

Best of luck,

Casey

Vicki M

5/10/08 5:39pm

Hello Rule Rattray,

This is a question you really should ask your doctor. As you know well, Viagra, Cialis and Levitra are not recommended for patients who are being treated for heart conditions because of drug interaction. Online sites are great for getting the information you need to manage your care, but can not take the place of your doctor's advice and care.

Even though you have had bypass surgery, it is possible that you are not a candidate for Viagra for reasons other than the obvious one about taking too much vasodilator. It is possible you will be a candidate for using viagra, as the warnings all pertain to men who are taking nitrates for heart conditions. You can read about that here. This is where it is best to let your doctor discuss this with you and make the decision then.

Take care and stay in touch. Let us know how you are doing!

Vicki M

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Q: Would substituting a daily 80MG dose of Isosorbide with Viagra once a week be reasonably safe?

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