1. ¹Urology Unit – University of Pisa, S Chiara Hospital, Via Roma, Pisa, Italy
2. ²Urology Unit – University of Trieste, Cattinara Hospital, Trieste, Italy

Correspondence: Dr G Pomara, Urology Unit – University of Pisa, S Chiara Hospital, Via Roma, 67, Pisa 56100, Italy. E-mail: g.pomara@libero.it

Received 12 July 2005; Revised 13 July 2005; Accepted 13 July 2005; Published online 18 August 2005.

Abstract

A 32-year-old male presented to our department for recurrent epistaxis during sexual intercourses. The patient controlled the bleeding each time with sponge packs and gauzes. During the consultation, he volunteered that the trigger for the epistaxis appeared to have been misuse of phosphodiesterase (PDE)-5 inhibitors, Viagra and Cialis. This first report of epistaxis after PDE-5 inhibitors in a young patient underline the possibility that in the next years the number of similar cases might increase due to the diffusion of PDE-5 inhibitor misuse in recreational settings.