Women’s bodies will forever be an intricate and complex vessel. Highs and lows come and go in a woman’s life that may coincide with day-to-day and major life changes such as menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause or illness. One common outcome can be a woman’s sexual desire naturally fluctuating.
Referred to as hypoactive sexual desire disorder, also referred to as female sexual interest/arousal disorder, persistent or recurrent lack of interest in sex that causes women personal distress is a very real problem that all women will encounter at some point in their lifetime.
Even some antidepressants and anti-seizure medications can also cause low sex drive in women. However, you don’t have to meet these medical conditions to seek help. In recent years, medications have started to offer promise to not only women with the disorder, but women who also seek to enhance their current sex lives.
Addyi (flibanserin) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first drug to treat low sexual desire among premenopausal women.
The drug is for women whoproudly
do not have an underlying physical or psychological cause for the disorder, the agency said in a news release.
Marketed by Raleigh, N.C.-based Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Addyi’s label will warn that it can cause blood pressure to drop severely and may lead to loss of consciousness. These risks increase and symptoms may become worse when alcohol is consumed. So, Addyi users are warned to not to drink any alcohol, the FDA said.
Doctors who prescribe the drug and any pharmacy that dispenses it must be certified, the agency said. Pharmacies must warn users of the risks of drinking alcohol while on the medication.
People who take the once-daily drug should discontinue use after eight weeks if there’s no improvement in sexual desire, the FDA added. Addyi was evaluated in clinical studies involving some 2,400 premenopausal women. Users of Addyi reported a significant increase in sexual desire, compared to those who took a placebo.
The most common adverse reactions included dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, fatigue, insomnia and dry mouth. The agency said it encouraged women who used the drug to report any side effects to its Adverse Event Reporting Program at www.fda.gov/MedWatch.
Prior to Addyi’s approval, there were no FDA-approved treatments for sexual desire disorders in men or women. Addyi is a serotonin 1A receptor agonist and a serotonin 2A receptor antagonist, but the mechanism by which the drug improves sexual desire and related distress is not known.
Addyi is taken once daily. It is dosed at bedtime to help decrease the risk of adverse events occurring due to possible hypotension, syncope and central nervous system depression (such as sleepiness and sedation). FDA indicated patients should discontinue treatment after eight weeks if they do not report an improvement in sexual desire and associated distress.
Not into medications? If you are bothered by a low sex drive or decreased sexual desire, there are lifestyle changes and sex techniques as well that may put you in the mood more often. Search “libido” on BlackDoctor.org for more information.
SOURCES:
FDA.gov, FDA approves first treatment for sexual desire disorder, Aug. 18, 2015
MayoClinic.org, Low sex drive in women, Aug. 28, 2015
By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from BlackDoctor.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.
