Definition
PDE5 inhibitors are drugs that inhibit phosphodiesterase5, which hydrolyzes cGMP. PDE5 is particularly present in smooth muscles of lungs and the corpus cavernosum. The PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil is on the market for the treatment of erectile dysfunction under the name of Viagra. In addition, sildenafil has been approved for the treatment of arterial pulmonary hypertension under the name of Revatio. Two other PDE5 inhibitors approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction are vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis). Tadalafil has also been approved for the treatment of arterial pulmonary hypertension under the name of Adcirca.
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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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(2015). PDE5 Inhibitors. In: Stolerman, I.P., Price, L.H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36172-2_200707
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36172-2_200707
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Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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