Tokio Hotel Guitarist, Tom Kaulitz, Overdoses on Viagra

Rock band Tokio Hotel’s guitarist, Tom Kaulitz, 20, says he overdosed on Viagra. Tokio Hotel is a German pop rock band founded in Magdeburg, Germany in 2001 by singer Bill Kaulitz, guitarist (and brother) Tom Kaulitz, drummer Gustav Schäfer and bassist Georg Listing. The quartet have scored four number one singles and have released three number one albums in Germany, and in September 2008, they won in the US their first MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist.

According to Kaulitz, who was offered a blue pill while on tour in Taiwan:

“I first asked the seller ‘Do I look like someone who needs help with that?'” Tom told the German newspaper Bild. “He said ‘no’-but that I should nevertheless try it out. I popped one in.”

“I popped a few more pills, probably too many,” he said. “The next morning my head was pounding and everything in front of my eyes was blurry. It wasn’t fun any more. It was pretty bad.”

Viagra (chemical name Sildenafil) is a medication used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), which is the inability to perform sexual intercourse. Sildenafil is in a class of medications called phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors. Sildenafil treats erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to the penis during sexual stimulation (see below). This increased blood flow can cause an erection.

The most common side effects of Viagra are headache, facial flushing, and upset stomach. Less commonly, bluish vision, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light may briefly occur. Viagra should not be taken by patients who take nitrates, often prescribed for chest pain, as this may cause a sudden unsafe drop in blood pressure.

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• sudden severe loss of vision
• blurred vision
• sudden decrease or loss of hearing
• ringing in ears
• erection that is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• fainting
• chest pain
• worsening shortness of breath
• itching or burning during urination
• rash

What causes an erection? (Source: NIDDK)

Hormones, blood vessels, nerves, and muscles must all work together to cause an erection. The brain starts an erection by sending nerve signals to the penis when it senses sexual stimulation. Touch may cause this arousal. Other triggers may be things that are seen or heard, or sexual thoughts or dreams.

The brain starts an erection by sending nerve signals to the penis.

The nerve signals cause the muscles in the penis to relax and let blood flow into the spongy tissue in the penis. Blood collects in this tissue like water filling a sponge. The penis becomes larger and firmer, like an inflated balloon. The veins then get shut off to keep blood from flowing out.

After climax or after the sexual arousal has passed, the veins open back up and blood flows back into the body.

What causes erectile dysfunction?

Many different conditions can lead to ED. Many of the causes are health problems that affect the heart and blood vessels and need to be treated to help prevent more serious problems.

* high blood pressure
* high cholesterol
* diabetes

Unhealthy lifestyle habits can also contribute to ED. Anything that’s bad for your heart is also bad for your sexual health.

* alcohol and drug abuse
* smoking
* overeating
* lack of exercise

Nerve damage from many causes can interfere with the signals that start an erection.

* spinal cord injury
* treatments for prostate cancer, including radiation and prostate removal
* multiple sclerosis and other nerve diseases

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