MONTREAL — Vardenafil is effective and well tolerated as a treatment for erectile dysfunction in men 65 and older, Patricia Stenger said at a congress sponsored by the Canadian Society for the Study of the Aging Male.
In a prospective postmarketing surveillance study conducted in 11 European countries, 12,063 patients with ED whose mean age was 70.2 years were followed for 2 months in routine practice. The duration of ED was longer than 3 years in one-third of patients, and more than half reported a moderate degree of dysfunction, according to Ms. Stenger of the pharmaceutical division of Bayer Corp. maker of Levitra (vardenafil), West Haven, Conn.
A 10-mg dose of vardenafil was prescribed for 69.2% of patients at the initial visit and for 54.3% of patients at the last follow-up visit. A 20-mg dose was prescribed for 23.6% initially and for 42.2% at the last follow-up visit. On average, patients took 1 tablet each week.
A total of 91% of patients reported an overall improvement in ED, with 66.9% noting an improvement after taking the first tablet, Ms. Stenger said in a moderated poster session at the meeting, which was cosponsored by the International Society for the Study of the Aging Male.
When asked by their physicians, 89.3% of patients said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the efficacy of treatment; patients exhibited a high response rate, regardless of the severity or duration of their ED.
Patients recorded successful penetration in 92.4% of attempts, and they maintained their erections until completion of intercourse in 81.2% of attempts.
Approximately 90% of patients had concomitant diseases, which were most commonly cardiac and vascular in nature. Concomitant drugs with the potential to interact with vardenafil, most commonly α-blockers, were prescribed to 10.3% of patients.
Despite the frequency of concomitant disease and patients' exposure to potentially interactive drugs, vardenafil was well tolerated; 97.5% of patients reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the overall tolerability.