If you need prescription medication for a cardiovascular ailment, diabetes, or high blood pressure, the possibility for developing hardness problems where none existed before definitely exists. For example, researchers have reported that men taking vasodilator medication for their heart conditions were four times as likely to have moderate or complete erectile dysfunction compared to other men. Those who took cardiac drugs as well as those who needed drugs to control their diabetes were three times as likely to suffer from significant erection difficulties. Moreover, those who required medication for hypertension suffered significantly from lack of hardness.

If you are wondering what medicines to avoid, there is no simple answer since literally scores of drugs may contribute to some degree of hardness deflation. However, if you are suddenly experiencing hardness problems, you need to do some detective work on your own. The medicine cabinet is one of the first places to look.

If you suspect that a drug you are currently taking is affecting your hardness or interest in sex, the next step is to contact your doctor. Do not stop taking your medication. Your physician should be able to adjust the current dosage or else switch you to another drug that does not affect hardness.

Hardness Deflators

There are five main classes of drugs responsible for negative effects on hardness. They include:

• Cardiovascular drugs for heart disease and hypertension.
• Psychiatric medications including antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and tranquilizers.
• Antihistamines, including drugs for allergies, motion sickness, and cold symptoms.
• Gastrointestinal medications formulated to relieve heartburn, stomachaches and pain, spastic colon, and flatulence.
• Miscellaneous drugs, which encompass medications to treat everything from muscle spasm and Parkinson's disease, to glaucoma and prostate cancer.

Take a look at each category. You may recognize more than a few drugs on the following lists.

Cardiovascular Medications The following chart lists the various cardiovascular medications linked to hardness problems.

Psychiatric Medications The following chart lists the various psychiatric medications linked to hardness problems.

Antihistamine Medications The following are drugs with antihistamine activity (allergy remedies, cold drugs, motion sickness pills, and sleeping aids) that may cause hardness problems.

Gastrointestinal Medications The following is a listing of some of the gastrointestinal drugs that may cause hardness problems.

Miscellaneous Medications The following is a list of other widely-used drugs that can cause hardness problems.