A prostaglandin drug used, prior to surgery, to minimize the effects of congenital heart defects in newborn babies. Alprostadil is also used as a treatment for impotence. It is administered by self-injection into the penis or as a gel introduced into the urethra to produce an erection.
n. a *prostaglandin drug (PGE1) administered to improve lung blood flow in newborn babies with congenital heart defects who are awaiting surgery; it acts by preventing the closure of the blood vessel connecting the aorta to the pulmonary artery (see ductus arteriosus). Possible side-effects include diminished respiratory efforts. Alprostadil is also administered to treat *erectile dysfunction in men; it acts by relaxing smooth muscle and dilating the cavernosal arteries, so that blood is trapped when the venules become compressed against the *tunica albuginea. Side-effects may include dizziness and headache.
inability in a male to obtain and/or maintain a penile erection to enable vaginal penetration for sexual intercourse. There are many causes and contributing factors; often a combination of physical causes and psychological factors is responsible for the condition. The physical causes include peripheral vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, certain medications, hypogonadism or other endocrine disorders, and anatomical abnormalities of the penis. Treatments that work by increasing blood flow to the cavernous sinuses of the penis include oral *sildenafil and injectable *alprostadil. Penile *prostheses can be surgically inserted into the penis when other treatments have not been effective.... erectile dysfunction
n. a prolonged (greater than four hours) and usually painful erection of the penis. Ischaemic priapism is associated with blood disorders (such as sickle-cell disease or leukaemia) or haemodialysis or it can result from administration of drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction, such as *papaverine or intracorporeal *alprostadil. It requires urgent decompression by draining the blood from the corpora cavernosa of the penis with a 19 SWG butterfly needle and instilling a *vasoconstrictor (e.g. phenylephrine). If aspiration fails surgical shunts may be necessary. An unrelieved ischaemic priapism results in eventual complete fibrosis of the spongy tissue of the corpora and no further erections are possible. A penile *prosthesis may be appropriate in this situation. Nonischaemic priapism is usually caused by perineal trauma resulting in an arteriovenous *fistula. This does not result in tissue damage. *Embolization of the site of vascular injury is usually necessary.... priapism
n. one of a group of hormone-like substances present in a wide variety of tissues and body fluids (including the uterus, brain, lungs, kidney, and semen). Prostaglandins have many actions; for example, they cause contraction of smooth muscle (including that of the uterus), dilation of blood vessels, and are mediators in the process of inflammation (aspirin and other *NSAIDs act by blocking their production). They are also involved in the production of mucus in the stomach, which provides protection against acid gastric juice; use of NSAIDs reduces this effect and predisposes to peptic ulceration, the principal side-effect of these drugs. There are nine classes of prostaglandins (PGA–I), within which individual prostaglandins are denoted by numerals (e.g. PGE1). Synthetic prostaglandins are used to induce labour or produce abortion (see dinoprostone; gemeprost) and to treat peptic ulcers (see misoprostol), congenital heart disease in newborn babies (see alprostadil), and glaucoma (see latanoprost).... prostaglandin
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