Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is an incredibly common condition that can cause psychological distress and negatively affect one's well being. The actual cause of this disorder is often multifactorial with aging, reduced blood flow and psychological or performance based anxiety all playing a role. The most common medications to treat this disorder are PDE5 inhibitors. These medications increase the production of nitric oxide that promotes vasodilation (increasing the size of blood vessels) and in turn more blood flow to the penis. The final effect is to promote easier erections that last longer.
There are way too many good puns about pilots and cockpits, but we will attempt to refrain. So we'll just stick to the facts.
FAA Policy on ED Medications
For pilots, using ED meds isn’t as simple as popping a pill and taking off. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has strict guidelines regarding the use of these medications. Like any medication, these can have serious side effects.
Consult with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME): If you’re considering using ED medications, it’s crucial to discuss with your AME during your next medical exam.
Possible Deferral: Your AME should NOT defer your medical certificate if you’re taking ED meds for a genitourinary cause (ED or benign prostate hypertrophy aka BPH). These are permitted. If you are being prescribed these meds for any other reason, this may be reason for deferral. If using just for ED, you must still be aware of the FAA policy on flying after using these meds.
Safety First: The FAA emphasizes that safety is paramount. Due to the vasodilatory properties of these meds, users are at high risk of experiencing low blood pressure and possibly fainting. Use of these meds will quickly diminish a pilot's G-strain and increase likelihood for G-LOC. Other common side effects are headache and nasal congestion. For these reasons, the FAA has created down times from flying after last use. The time down is determined based on the half life and length of time it takes for your body to metabolize and release the medication from circulation. See below table for more info. As you can see, Cialis is probably not the best medication to treat ED for the frequent flyer!
FAA required downtime after ED Medications.
With a little help from ED meds & safely following the above FAA policy, pilots can keep their spirits high and consistently take off to higher and greater heights for years to come.
For more detailed information, you can check out the FAA’s official guidance on ED medications here.
Happy flying, and may your spirits—and altitude—always be high! See below table for more info:
If you still have questions on this topic or any other complex medical or mental health condition, CONSULT GO FLIGHT MEDICINE TODAY!
