Erectile dysfunction is a chronic or acute disorder which makes it difficult for a man to achieve and maintain an erection during physical arousal. Often abbreviated to ED, erectile dysfunction affects more than half the population and is manageable through a variety of treatments. One type of treatment which has garnered popularity over the last decade is compound pharmaceuticals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration describes compound pharmaceuticals as follows; “In general, compounding is a practice in which a licensed pharmacist, a licensed physician, or, in the case of an outsourcing facility, a person under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, combines, mixes, or alters ingredients of a drug to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient.”

The most common type of ED treatment is pills, specifically PDE5 inhibitors, which work by blocking erosion of the cyclic nucleotide, cGMP, which affects penile blood flow. Drugs of this type which are branded and sold in chain pharmacies include Viagra (Sildenafil), Cialis (Tadalafil), Stendra (Avanafil), and Levitra (Vardenafil). You can obtain these medications as non-branded compound pharmaceuticals for ED by visiting a sexual health clinic in Las Vegas, or another big city across the country.

So, what sets compounding pharmacies aside from chain pharmacies? Discover the top 5 benefits below.

1. Medicine is Customized for Easy Use by Patients: At a compounding pharmacy, drugs such as Tadalafil, Avanafil, Vardenafil, and Sildenafil are customized to the needs of each patient and mixed based on the ingredients necessary. This means that each patient receives only what they need and avoids additives or improper dosing. Unlike branded medications which are shipped from large factories to pharmacies across the country, compound medications are mixed directly in the pharmacy itself. A 2017 medical review published in the Australian Prescriber explains; “Extemporaneous compounding takes place in community and hospital pharmacies. There are usually specialist compounding pharmacies in major towns and cities, but any pharmacy may undertake compounding as long as they have appropriate facilities according to state-based legislation.”

Compound pharmacists can also take your prescription and make you the proper dosage in a variety of formats including pills, liquid, powder, and troches. For example, if you are seeking ED treatment in Las Vegas, but you have trouble swallowing pills, your pharmacist can give it to you in a liquid. This is useful for geriatric patients, or patients with special needs who may have difficulty taking their prescriptions as its usually sold. It can also make medication seem less inviting, because your pharmacist can add flavoring or sweetener to the mix to make it more appealing.

2. Your Medication is Coming from a Reliable Source: Not only does compound medication get made in local pharmacies, it’s also mixed by professional pharmacists in your state and city. For example, compound erectile dysfunction treatment in Las Vegas, NV is mixed and sold to you by the pharmacist as your local Las Vegas compound pharmacy. In this way, you know you’re getting high-quality, properly manufactured medication. The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists writes; “Pharmacy compounding is a centuries-old, well-regulated and common practice. Pharmacy is one of the most respected and trusted professions in the United States. In a recent survey, pharmacists ranked second (only behind nurses) as the most trusted professionals in our society.”

This method of medicine also provides an air of accountability if something is wrong with your prescription. All pharmacists can answer questions regarding directions and dosage for a prescription, but a compound pharmacist can answer questions about exactly what’s in your medicine and why.

3. Medication Can be Made Allergy Friendly: You may be surprised to learn that some medications have more than just the medicinal ingredients in them. Pills often require binding agents to hold together the way that they do, and these binders can include ingredients which some patients are sensitive to. Gluten, sugar, or milk products including lactose are among the ingredients which make it difficult for some patients to find medications they can tolerate. Therefore, a major advantage which compound pharmaceuticals have over generic and branded medications from chain pharmacies is allergy-free medicine. For example, if a patient is lactose intolerant, celiac, diabetic, or suffering from an allergy to dyes or preservatives, your compound pharmacist can make a prescription to avoid these triggers.

4. Access to Medication Which is Otherwise Discontinued: Sometimes certain medications are discontinued for one reason or another, unrelated to safety or distribution laws. When this happens, patients across the United States scamper to find an alternative or replacement treatment which provides similar or the same results, a feat which isn’t always successful. If a medication is still legal for distribution in the U.S., your compound pharmacist may be able to supply it when big brands and chain pharmacies can’t.

5. Consolidation of Medications: Finally, your compound pharmacy can minimize the number of tablets in your weekly pill box by combining prescriptions into one pill when possible. For example, if you visit an ED clinic in Las Vegas and are prescribed a medication to treat your libido, but you already take a different medication for heart health, if it’s safe to take both, your compound pharmacist may be able to combine the two, something that a standard pharmacist wouldn’t be able to offer.

If you’re interested in learning more about compound medication, speak to a compound pharmacy in your area, or visit one of the ED clinics in Nevada which specialize in compound prescriptions for sexual disorders.