Viagra

by Susan C. Vaughan

An estimated 30 million American men suffer from impotence. No wonder men rushed to the pharmacies when Viagra--the first oral medication for erectile dysfunction--hit the news. Within two weeks, it became the "fastest-selling medication in the history of medicine." Originally a cardiovascular drug that failed, researchers found that Viagra didn't make blood rush to cardiac patients' hearts, but to another organ entirely.

This book, written in a friendly, peppy style, examines the physical and psychological causes of impotence (and how to figure out which cause is yours), how Viagra works, its side effects, medications that should not be combined with it, and "kiss-and-tell" stories. An intriguing chapter looks at the possible (but not yet FDA-approved) role of Viagra for women. Psychiatrist Susan Vaughan, M.D., sings Viagra's praises--"now you can have sex when, where, and how you want it, dependably and reliably, even if you're 100 and your partner's 102"--and also questions whether the drug is "a kind of Wonderbra for men trying to defy the effects of gravity and aging." Her humor--erection and ejaculation are nicknamed "point and shoot," for example--helps lighten emotionally charged topics. Read this book if you think Viagra might have a place in your sex life. --Joan Price

238 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998