Vardenafil, a short-acting prescription oral medication for erectile dysfunction, reliably improves erections, including in men with diabetes, with knock-on gains in partners' sexual satisfaction, and eases urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate. Its wider longevity case is much weaker: links to longer life, fewer heart events and less dementia come from prescription records, mostly of related drugs. Headache and flushing are common; with nitrate heart medications it is dangerous. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure (seated and standing) | 110–120 / 70–80 mmHg; standing drop under 20 mmHg | Hypotension risk and vascular health |
| QTc interval (electrocardiogram) | Under 430 ms | QT prolongation risk |
| ApoB | Under 80 mg/dL | Atherosclerosis driving erectile dysfunction |
| HbA1c | 4.8–5.4% | Diabetes worsens vessel and nerve function |
| Total and free testosterone | Total 500–900 ng/dL; free 10–25 ng/dL | Low levels blunt response |
| Liver enzymes (ALT, AST) | ALT under 25 U/L; AST under 25 U/L | Hepatic clearance of vardenafil |
| eGFR | Above 90 mL/min/1.73 m² | Dialysis is a contraindication |
| hs-CRP | Under 1.0 mg/L | Vascular inflammation |
| PSA (urinary-symptom use) | No established functional target; track change from own baseline | Excludes prostate cancer before attributing symptoms to enlargement |
| IIEF-5 questionnaire | 22–25 | Defines treatment success |
| Prostate symptom score | 0–7 | Tracks urinary benefit |
Cadence: Baseline before starting; blood pressure and symptom questionnaires at 4–8 weeks after starting or changing dose, then every 6–12 months with repeat metabolic, lipid and testosterone testing; annual skin examination; any sudden change in vision or hearing prompts immediate assessment