Tadalafil and Its Effects on Female Genital Blood Flow

6MWD: 6-minute walk distance; PAH:

About this article

In total, 405 subjects (317 females, 88 males) were enrolled in a 16-week, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled multicenter study. Subjects were randomized into groups receiving placebo or 2.5, 10, 20, or 40 mg of tadalafil once daily. 6MWD was recorded before and after 16 weeks of treatment with tadalafil or placebo in a cohort of 340 subjects (264 females, 76 males).3 Clinical worsening was defined as death, lung or heart-lung transplantation, atrial septostomy, hospitalization due to worsening PAH, initiation of new PAH-approved therapy, or worsening World Health Organization (WHO) functional class over the 16 weeks. 6MWD and WHO functional class were measured at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16. When examining the effect of sex on change in 6MWD and TCW, only the tadalafil-treated patients were included (n = 323; males = 71, females = 252).

Similar content being viewed by others

For the univariate analyses, the Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to assess the effect of sex on change in 6MWD. A log-rank test was used to assess the effect of sex on TCW. Females were subdivided by age as a surrogate for menopausal status: 14–44 years, premenopausal; 45–54 years, perimenopausal; and ≥55 years, postmenopausal (based on the average age of menopause, 52.4 years).25 The linear trend test with first degree of orthogonal polynomials was used to assess the effect of age on change in 6MWD among females and separately for males within the same age groups. A log-rank test was performed on TCW by age among females. Kaplan-Meier plots were constructed to investigate clinical worsening by sex and age. pulmonary arterial hypertension; VSD: ventricular

septal defect; PDA: patent ductus

• Tadalafil generally takes about 30-60 minutes to work in women.
• Its effects can last up to 36 hours, providing flexibility.
• It is not a standard treatment but a research tool in women.
• The drug is often compared to sildenafil in studies.
• Women should avoid heavy meals before taking tadalafil.
• Proper hydration may improve its effectiveness.
• Women with hypertension should consult a doctor before use.
• Tadalafil may cause visual disturbances in rare cases.
• Its safety profile in women continues to be studied.

arteriosus; WHO: World Health Organization.