Drugs that may cause erection problems
Impotence caused by medications; Drug-induced erectile dysfunction; Prescription medicines and impotenceInformation
Many medicines and recreational drugs can affect a man's sexual arousal and sexual performance. What causes erection problems in one man may not affect another man.
Erection problems
An erection problem occurs when a man cannot get or keep an erection that is firm enough for intercourse. You may not be able to get an erection at ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleTalk to your health care provider if you think that a drug is having a negative effect on your sexual performance. Never stop taking any medicine without first talking to your provider. Some medicines may lead to life-threatening reactions if you do not take care when stopping or changing them.
The following is a list of some medicines and drugs that may cause erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. There may be additional drugs other than those on this list that can cause erection difficulties.
Antidepressants and other psychiatric medicines:
- Amitriptyline (Elavil)
- Amoxapine (Asendin)
- Buspirone (Buspar)
- Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
- Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
- Clomipramine (Anafranil)
- Clorazepate (Tranxene)
- Desipramine (Norpramin)
- Diazepam (Valium)
- Doxepin (Sinequan)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Fluphenazine (Prolixin)
- Imipramine (Tofranil)
- Isocarboxazid (Marplan)
- Lorazepam (Ativan)
- Meprobamate (Equanil)
- Mesoridazine (Serentil)
- Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
- Oxazepam (Serax)
- Phenelzine (Nardil)
- Phenytoin (Dilantin)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Thioridazine (Mellaril)
- Thiothixene (Navane)
- Tranylcypromine (Parnate)
- Trifluoperazine (Stelazine)
Antihistamine medicines (certain classes of antihistamines are also used to treat heartburn):
- Cimetidine (Tagamet)
- Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- Hydroxyzine (Vistaril)
- Meclizine (Antivert)
- Nizatidine (Axid)
- Promethazine (Phenergan)
- Ranitidine (Zantac)
High blood pressure medicines and diuretics (water pills):
- Atenolol (Tenormin)
- Bethanidine
- Bumetanide (Bumex)
- Captopril (Capoten)
- Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
- Chlorthalidone (Hygroton)
- Clonidine (Catapres)
- Enalapril (Vasotec)
- Furosemide (Lasix)
- Guanabenz (Wytensin)
- Guanethidine (Ismelin)
- Guanfacine (Tenex)
- Haloperidol (Haldol)
- Hydralazine (Apresoline)
- Hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix)
- Labetalol (Normodyne)
- Methyldopa (Aldomet)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor)
- Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
- Phenoxybenzamine (Dibenzyline)
- Phentolamine (Regitine)
- Prazosin (Minipress)
- Propranolol (Inderal)
- Reserpine (Serpasil)
- Spironolactone (Aldactone)
- Triamterene (Maxzide)
- Verapamil (Calan)
Thiazides are the most common cause of erectile dysfunction among the high blood pressure medicines. The next most common cause is beta blockers. Alpha blockers tend to be less likely to cause this problem.
Parkinson disease medicines:
- Benztropine (Cogentin)
- Biperiden (Akineton)
- Bromocriptine (Parlodel)
- Levodopa (Sinemet)
- Procyclidine (Kemadrin)
- Trihexyphenidyl (Artane)
Chemotherapy and hormonal medicines:
Chemotherapy
The term chemotherapy is used to describe cancer-killing drugs. Chemotherapy may be used to:Cure the cancer Shrink the cancerPrevent the cancer from...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article- Antiandrogens (Casodex, Flutamide, Nilutamide)
- Busulfan (Myleran)
- Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
- Ketoconazole
- LHRH agonists (Lupron, Zoladex)
- LHRH antagonist (Firmagon)
Other medicines:
- Aminocaproic acid (Amicar)
- Atropine
- Clofibrate (Atromid-S)
- Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
- Cyproterone
- Digoxin (Lanoxin)
- Disopyramide (Norpace)
- Dutasteride (Avodart)
- Estrogen
- Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar)
- Furazolidone (Furoxone)
- H2 blockers (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid)
- Indomethacin (Indocin)
- Lipid-lowering agents
- Licorice
- Metoclopramide (Reglan)
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, ibuprofen, etc.)
- Orphenadrine (Norflex)
- Prochlorperazine (Compazine)
- Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
- Sumatriptan (Imitrex)
Opiate analgesics (painkillers):
- Codeine
- Fentanyl (Innovar)
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
- Meperidine (Demerol)
- Methadone
- Morphine
- Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percodan)
Recreational drugs:
- Alcohol
- Amphetamines
- Barbiturates
- Cocaine
Cocaine
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Marijuana
Substance use is the continued use of alcohol, illegal drugs, or the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs with negative consequences. Th...
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- Nicotine
References
Berookhim BM, Mulhall JP. Erectile dysfunction. In: Sidawy AN, Perler BA, eds. Rutherford's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 191.
Burnett AL, Ramasamy R. Evaluation and management of erectile dysfunction. In: Partin AW, Dmochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 69.
Waller DG, Sampson AP. Erectile dysfunction. In: Waller DG, Sampson AP, eds. Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 16.
Review Date: 1/10/2021
Reviewed By: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Editorial update 09/30/2021.
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