Levitra benefits diabetic men

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 19 Jun 2004 - 6:00 PDT

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Unlike the global erectile dysfunction drug market leader, Pfizer's Viagra (sildenafil), Bayer/GlaxoSmithKline's Levitra (vardenafil) appears to be of benefit to diabetic men, according to the results of studies presented at the American Diabetes Association in Orlando, Florida, this past week.

Men being treated for diabetes are three times more likely to have ED than those in the general population. In addition, more than 50% of diabetic men develop ED within 10 years of being diagnosed with diabetes, and the condition tends to be difficult to treat in diabetic men, notes a Bayer/GSK press statement.

Study results showed that men with diabetes and ED who were previously unsuccessful with Viagra were able to obtain an erection sufficient for successful intercourse on 33% of attempts with Levitra compared with 13% with placebo. In addition, 58% of diabetic men in the study experienced improved erections with Levitra compared with placebo. The results of the study, referred to as the PROVEN (Patient RespOnse with VardENafil in Sildenafil Non-Responders) trial, evaluated Levitra in men with ED who were historically unresponsive to Viagra.

The PROVEN trial assessed the improvement of erectile function in a subset of 138 men with diabetes and ED and a history of unresponsiveness to Viagra. Patients were classified as having diabetes based on medical history, laboratory values (HbA1c>8%), and medication data. The study was a prospective, multicenter, double-blind, flexible-dose trial studying men with ED who had a documented history of non-response to Viagra.

http://www.diabetesnews.com/