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Phosphodiesterase Type 5 (PDE5) Inhibitors
•
Used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and also
explored for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension
•
Block degradative action of PDE5 on cyclic guanosine
monophosphate (cGMP) in smooth muscle cells lining the
blood vessels supplying the corpus cavernosum of the
penis (and arterial walls within the lungs)
•
cGMP = second messenger relaxing smooth muscle tissues
cGMP
,
leading to the increased blood flow in blood vessels