Side Effects of Sildenafil with Alcohol

Common Side Effects of taking Sildenafil and Alcohol together  

Sildenafil can lower blood pressure, and combining it with ethanol may further increase this effect. You may be more likely to experience symptoms such as the followings:  

• dizziness 
• lightheadedness 
• fainting 
• flushing 
• headache 
• heart palpitations 

Side effects of taking alcohol while already suffering from side effects of Sildenafil 

In case someone is already experiencing one or multiple side effects, due to taking sildenafil as a medication against erectile dysfunction or ED, alcohol can inflict severe headaches and flushed skin. In large amounts, alcohol will make it more challenging to get and maintain an erection. Flushed skin is the most common type of cardiovascular side effect found among men who take alcohol with PDE5 inhibitors like Sildenafil, which also act as a vasodilator. 

1. Blood vessel constrictions harming penile erection 

High amounts of alcohol release hormones that cause your blood vessels to constrict. Hence, too much of drinking can cause blood vessel constrictions which in turn make it difficult to get or maintain a strong erection. In general, regular alcohol consumption increases your risk for:

• Coronary artery disease
• Heart failure
• High blood pressure
• Stroke

If these were not enough, cardiovascular disease is one of the leading physical causes of poor erection quality.

2. Lightheadedness and Fainting 

Taking alcohol with Sildenafil causes lightheadedness which is usually much more severe in nature and often leads to fainting. 

Sildenafil is a PDE5 inhibitor that causes vasodilation in the penile arteries. While most of its effects are localized, one may experience systemic side effects such as feeling lightheaded or dizzy. 

Whereas, the impact of alcohol on the body is in many folds. It thins the blood, affects neurotransmitters, and causes dehydration. For many alcohol users, it is normal to feel dizzy or lightheaded while drinking, even if at low blood alcohol concentration levels. 

3. Risk of unprotected sex

A correlation between alcohol and unprotected sex has been seen for quite a long time. Under the state of intoxication, many often end up having unprotected sex; which puts both the person and the partner at risk for unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases. 

Is having one or two glasses of alcohol fine when taking Sildenafil?

One might need the help of one or two glasses of alcohol to shrug off the initial hesitations. But experts believe that even moderate to low amounts of alcohol are not necessarily heart-healthy.

One should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with sildenafil, and use caution when getting up from a sitting or lying position. Having one or two drinks with medications like sildenafil may not be an issue for some people. But there are other factors like age and other pharmaceutical drugs that might react, making one more sensitive to alcohol or sildenafil or both. Hence, it is essential to inform the doctor about all other medications under current use, including vitamins and herbs. 

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