Uprima and its Role in helping Men Maintain an Erection

UPRIMA is a brand name for apomorphine hydrochloride, which is medically classified as a 'dopamine agonist'. It acts on the brain by enhancing the neuro signals that send blood to the penis, thus causing it become temporarily hard and erect.

Its action is physical, not emotional. Therefore, Uprima does not enhance libido, i.e., the desire to have sex. It only makes the penis fit for conduct of a sexual intercourse; it should therefore be taken when sexual desire has been aroused in men who have a problem in having and maintaining an erection naturally -- the problem being commonly known as impotence.

Dosage of Uprima: Uprima comes in the form of a pill to be taken sublingually, i.e., placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve there instead of being swallowed. However, if any portion of the pill remains undissolved after 20 minutes, the undissolved particles should be swallowed.

Uprima -- or, for that matter, any medicine for erectile dysfunction -- should not be taken indiscriminately. There should be a minimum gap of eight hours between two successive doses of Uprima. It is quite a safe drug if taken within these prescribed limits. However, as with any drug, Uprima can have side-effects in some, in which case it should be discontinued and the physician consulted.

Side-effects : A rare side-effect is fainting. Fainting is usually preceded by warning signs such as nausea, pallor, dizziness, perspiration or lightheadedness. If you experience any of these symptoms after taking Uprima, you should not try to stand up; rather you should forget the intended sex, and lie down until the symptoms disappear. It is advisable not to take Uprima with alcohol, not because there will be any drug-drug interaction but because alcohol can contradict the effect of the medicine by causing dizziness and impairing sexual performance.

Contraindications : Uprima should be used with caution by patients with impaired kidney or liver functions, history of low blood pressure. It is a no-no for men who have recently had a heart attack, children, and women in addition to men for whom sexual activity is not advisable, e.g., men with severe heart disorders.