Alprostadil is a naturally occurring prostaglandin used to enhance blood flow by dilation of blood vessels. Alprostadil is also used to improve blood flow for infants who are newly born and have problems with their hearts. One of these treatment options works in the case of erectile dysfunction (ED) by helping widen the blood vessels so that more blood can flow. One such treatment option is made up of prostaglandins (which help to relax and swell the penis muscles) combined with skin treatments, allowing for effective absorption into the skin (Cuzin, 2016).
How it helps in ED
Injectable treatments for ED work by relaxing the smooth muscles on the vascular walls, which causes them to dilate and fill the penis with blood. Prostaglandins, such as alprostadil, increase blood flow in specific areas of the body, by forcing blood vessels in that area to expand. In particular, injections of alprostadil cause increased blood flow in the penis.
Alprostadil is given as an injection in a space filled with blood of the penis. Alprostadil comes in powder form, which must be mixed with a liquid provided in the packaging and injected into the penis, and in the form of urethral suppositories (pellets that must be placed into the urethral orifices of the penis). When applied to the penis as a topical cream, alprostadil makes it easier to build and keep an erection. Topical alprostadil cream has proven an effective, well-tolerated treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) and may be used safely by men who are receiving treatment with alpha-blockers, antihypertensive agents, and/or nitrates.
Safety of Alprostadil
Several trials have demonstrated that alprostadil cream is a safe treatment for ED, including the previously described placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of the 1% topical gel alprostadil, also investigating safety. 37 Fifteen minutes after the application of the gel, significant greater erythema was reported in the alprostadil group compared to the placebo (p0.001). Alprostadil increases blood flow to all parts of the body, including to the penis, and thus helps men with ED (erectile dysfunction) have erections. Alprostadil Intraurethral Suppositories; The urethral drug system, which is used for erection, should be avoided in patients who have tight urethrals, because its use may further damage the penis. Men with conditions which may cause long-lasting erections should not use EDEX(r) (alprostadil by injection).
Men who have had penile implants, have a serious penile curvature, or have been advised to refrain from sexual activity should not use edex (r) (alprostadil for injection). Ed injections, for the most part, should not be used with oral ED medications, which function similarly. If four PDE5 inhibitors are not working for you, penile injections of phentolamine, papaverine, and alprostadil are considered the second-line treatments for ED, with alprostadil being most often used. In the United States, when a single treatment option like these is not an option, alprostadil injections and pellets are commonly used as second-line treatments for erectile dysfunction (ED); meaning that it is frequently used as an alternative to oral ED medications, which are usually first-line choices (Jain, 2022).