[Therapeutic efficacy of a course administration of vardenafil--inhibitor of phosphodiesterase-5--in erectile dysfunction].

We studied a therapeutic effect of long-term and regular use of vardenafil which is an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) in patients with erectile dysfunction (n=32, mean age 35.7 +/- 6.8 years). They received the drug daily for 1 month in a dose 10 mg in the evening without direct sexual realization of the drug action. Before the treatment, upon 1 and 2 months of therapy the patients filled in questionnaire International Index of Erectile Function Scale (IIEFS) and underwent pharmacoechodopplerography of the penis. The erection scores by IIEFS after 1 month of vardenafil therapy increased from 17.8 +/- 4.5 to 23.7 +/- 5.3 (p < 0.01). On posttreatment day 30 this parameter went down to 21.9 +/- 5.6 scores (p < 0.01). However, this value was significantly better than the baseline (p < 0.01). The same dynamics was observed in objective indices of penile hemodynamics. Thus, routine daily intake of vardenafil produces a significant and persistent improvement of erectile function.