Avanafil for treatment of erectile dysfunction: review of its potential

Avanafil is a medication that was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the management of erectile dysfunction. Avanafil is a new phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor similar to sildenafil and tadalafil. Avanafil was studied in over 1300 patients during clinical trials, including patients with diabetes mellitus and those who had undergone radical prostatectomy, and was found to be more effective than placebo in all men who were randomized to the drug. The medication was studied with on-demand dosing that may occur after food and/or alcohol. Avanafil is dosed as 50 mg, 100 mg, or 200 mg tablets. Avanafil may differentiate itself from the other phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors with its quicker onset and higher specificity for phosphodiesterase type 5 versus other phosphodiesterase subtypes, but may lead to complications of therapy.