{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,6]],"date-time":"2026-09-06T08:54:00Z","timestamp":1788684840962,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":27,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,20]],"date-time":"2021-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1629417600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Background:<\/jats:bold>\n                    Men who use erectile dysfunction medications for recreational purposes may be at increased risk of becoming psychologically dependent, which in turn could lead to psychogenic-based erectile dysfunction symptoms. Sildenafil has become one of the most commonly prescribed and abused drugs available today.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Objectives:<\/jats:bold>\n                    This study aimed to describe the utilization pattern and associated factors of sildenafil citrate among its users visiting community pharmacies in Gondar, Ethiopia.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Methods:<\/jats:bold>\n                    A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 20, 2017 to May 10, 2017, among male clients who visited community pharmacies in Gondar town, North West Ethiopia. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used to collect data from Sildenafil users older than 18 years, that started using the drug (Sildenafil) for at least 6 months before the data collection period. A regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between study variables, and a\n                    <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                    -value of &amp;lt;0.05 was considered to declare statistical significance.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Results:<\/jats:bold>\n                    A total of 65 men participated in the study. Of the total study participants, 33.8% were aged 25\u201334 years and about 40% of them had multiple sexual partners. The use of sildenafil for recreational purposes was 66.2% and was found to be higher than its use for medical purposes 33.8%. Use of the drug for &amp;lt;1-year duration (AOR = 34.086, 95% CI [2.90, 401.37]) and 2 years duration (AOR = 21.42: 95% CI [2.10, 218.82]) were significantly associated with its use for recreational purpose. Non-recreational use of sildenafil includes erectile problems associated with diabetes mellitus (27.1%), heart disease (9.2%), hyperlipidemia (4.2%), and relationship problems due to stress and poor communication (3.1%).\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Conclusion:<\/jats:bold>\n                    Most men who use sildenafil citrate do so for recreational purposes, and use of sildenafil citrate for 2 years or less was associated with recreational use. There should be a collaborative effort among pharmacists, health professionals, and policymakers to improve the rational use of sildenafil.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2021.665247","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,20]],"date-time":"2021-08-20T02:29:58Z","timestamp":1629426598000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["The Weekend Drug; Recreational Use of Sildenafil Citrate and Concomitant Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"8","author":[{"given":"Berhanemeskel Weldegerima","family":"Atsbeha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Beza Tefera","family":"Kebede","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Biruktawit Shewafera","family":"Birhanu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dawit Kumilachew","family":"Yimenu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wudneh Simegn","family":"Belay","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chilot Abiyu","family":"Demeke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.5534\/wjmh.2016.34.3.186","article-title":"Recreational use of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors and its associated factors among undergraduate male students in an Ethiopian University: a cross-sectional study","volume":"34","author":"Gebreyohannes","year":"2016","journal-title":"World J Mens Health."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113","DOI":"10.1002\/j.1939-4640.2001.tb02582.x","article-title":"Efficacy and safety of sildenafil citrate for treatment of erectile dysfunction in a population with associated organic risk factors","volume":"23","author":"Guay","year":"2002","journal-title":"J Androl."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1852","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1743-6109.2012.02755.x","article-title":"Recreational use of erectile dysfunction medications and its adverse effects on erectile function in young healthy men: the mediating role of confidence in erectile ability","volume":"9","author":"Harte","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Sex Med."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35C","DOI":"10.1016\/S0002-9149(99)00046-6","article-title":"Overall cardiovascular profile of sildenafil citrate","volume":"83","author":"Zusman","year":"1999","journal-title":"Am J Cardiol."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ijir.3901191","article-title":"Patterns of use of sildenafil among commercially insured adults in the United States: 1998-2002","volume":"16","author":"Delate","year":"2004","journal-title":"Int J Impot Res."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3736","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1743-6109.2010.01965.x","article-title":"Recreational use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors by healthy young men","volume":"7","author":"Bechara","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Sex Med."},{"key":"B7","first-page":"51","article-title":"Evaluation of recreational use of aphrodisiac drugs and its consequences: an online questionnaire based study","volume":"1","author":"Makwana","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int J Res Med."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"597","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-010-9619-y","article-title":"Recreational use of erectile dysfunction medications in undergraduate men in the United States: characteristics and associated risk factors","volume":"40","author":"Harte","year":"2011","journal-title":"Arch Sex Behav."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1237","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1743-6109.2009.01674.x","article-title":"Characteristics, behaviors, and attitudes of men bypassing the healthcare system when obtaining phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors","volume":"7","author":"Schnetzler","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Sex Med."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.1007\/s11096-017-0558-8","article-title":"Sildenafil citrate use in Addis Ababa: characteristics of users and pharmacists' dispensing practices","volume":"40","author":"Gebregeorgise","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Clin Pharm."},{"key":"B11","unstructured":"BothR\n          Amsterdam, NetherlandAnthropology Department, University of AmsterdamSex, tension, and pills: young people's use of contemporary reproductive and sexual health technologies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia2017"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"495","DOI":"10.1080\/13691058.2015.1101489","article-title":"A matter of sexual confidence: young men's non-prescription use of Viagra in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia","volume":"18","author":"Both","year":"2016","journal-title":"Cult Health Sex."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"168","DOI":"10.1161\/01.CIR.99.1.168","article-title":"Use of sildenafil (Viagra) in patients with cardiovascular disease. Technology and Practice Executive Committee","volume":"99","author":"Cheitlin","year":"1999","journal-title":"Circulation."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"591","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ijir.3901584","article-title":"Recreational use of erectile dysfunction medication may decrease confidence in ability to gain and hold erections in young males","volume":"19","author":"Santtila","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int J Impot Res."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"383","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ijir.3901301","article-title":"Transient global amnesia after intake of tadalafil, a PDE-5 inhibitor: a possible association?","volume":"17","author":"Schiefer","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int J Impot Res."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ijir.3901383","article-title":"Epistaxis after PDE-5 inhibitors misuse","volume":"18","author":"Pomara","year":"2006","journal-title":"Int J Impot Res."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1510\/icvts.2009.205849","article-title":"Aortic dissection due to sildenafil abuse","volume":"9","author":"Tiryakioglu","year":"2009","journal-title":"Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1151","DOI":"10.1097\/01.smj.0000240732.65859.aa","article-title":"Aortic dissection after sildenafil-induced erection","volume":"99","author":"Nachtnebel","year":"2006","journal-title":"South Med J."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.4314\/ejhs.v26i3.9","article-title":"Pharmaceutical regulatory framework in ethiopia: a critical evaluation of its legal basis and implementation","volume":"26","author":"Suleman","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ethiop J Health Sci."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1186\/s13756-016-0101-z","article-title":"Exploration of over the counter sales of antibiotics in community pharmacies of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: pharmacy professionals' perspective","volume":"5","author":"Gebretekle","year":"2016","journal-title":"Antimicrob Resist Infect Control."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1016\/j.urology.2006.05.047","article-title":"Cardiovascular safety of sildenafil citrate (Viagra): an updated perspective","volume":"68","author":"Jackson","year":"2006","journal-title":"Urology."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1935","DOI":"10.1097\/01.ju.0000142687.75577.e4","article-title":"Interaction between the phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, tadalafil and 2 alpha-blockers, doxazosin and tamsulosin in healthy normotensive men","volume":"172","author":"Kloner","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Urol."},{"key":"B23","volume-title":"Summary and Statistical Report of the 2007 Population and Housing Census.","author":"Ethiopia","year":"2008"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.3390\/biomedicines9030291","article-title":"Visual side effects linked to sildenafil consumption: an update","volume":"9","author":"Aus\u00f3","year":"2021","journal-title":"Biomedicines."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"693","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2458-13-693","article-title":"Psychoactive substances use and associated factors among Axum University students, Axum Town, North Ethiopia","volume":"13","author":"Gebreslassie","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMC Public Health."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"334","DOI":"10.3109\/00952990.2011.643997","article-title":"Drug interactions between common illicit drugs and prescription therapies","volume":"38","author":"Lindsey","year":"2012","journal-title":"Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"876","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmaceutics13060876","article-title":"Changes in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sildenafil in cigarette and cannabis smokers","volume":"13","author":"Murtadha","year":"2021","journal-title":"Pharmaceutics."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2021.665247\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,20]],"date-time":"2021-08-20T02:30:05Z","timestamp":1629426605000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2021.665247\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,20]]},"references-count":27,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2021.665247"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2021.665247","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,20]]},"article-number":"665247"}}