Erectile dysfunction medicines and high blood pressure

If you're thinking of using medicines to help with erections, it's a good idea to check with your healthcare team first. These medicines include sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra), vardenafil, avanafil (Stendra) and tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis, others). The pill forms generally are thought to be safe for men with high blood pressure who are otherwise in good health.

These medicines aren't for men with severe heart disease. They're also not for men with high blood pressure who have trouble urinating or have other urinary tract conditions. Never take these medicines with nitrates, which are used to treat chest pain. Doing so can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.