1. Viagra for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
Viagra is the brand name of Sildenafil, a drug that was originally being developed as a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina (chest pain caused when the coronary artery contracts or is partially blocked). This drug is a phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitor — a chemical found in several different parts of the body — and it works by relaxing blood vessels where PDE is found. In the original clinical trials, the target was the arteries in the lungs, which would reduce blood pressure. The trials found the effect on the lungs limited but erections were common in male participants. The rest, as they say, is history.
But work on the use of Sildenafil for the treatment of PAH continued and it was approved for that use by regulatory authorities in 2005. In some countries, it is marketed under the separate brand name of Revatio. The advantage of this treatment is that it only dilates the arteries where PDE5 is present and not all arteries throughout the vascular system. As a slightly more experimental treatment, it is being given to babies born with PAH. This dilates the arteries passing through the chest and generally improves circulation. It is being given in very small doses when babies are removed from a respirator and has been found effective although there is some concern that, if used for too long, it may cause potentially dangerous drops in blood pressure. |
2. Viagra has great potential for sports professionals
Somewhat surprisingly, an increasing number of sports professionals are using Viagra for enhancing their performance on the field. This is an off-label use, i.e. it is not formally approved by the FDA or any other regulatory authority. But its use has become somewhat notorious through the high-profile activities of BALCO. It is now accepted that Roger Clemens and other top athletes have been using Viagra. It has the critical advantage that it is not so far listed as a performance enhancing drug and not banned by the sporting administrators. Yet the emerging evidence is that its use helps to build endurance. Because the circulation of the blood is improved through arterial dilation at critical parts of the vascular system, more oxygen is delivered to the muscles and the body works more efficiently. It also reliefs symptoms of ED which may result if the athletes party too long to celebrate their victories. The World Anti-Doping Agency is conducting tests to determine whether Viagra’s effects are sufficiently real to justify banning it as a performance enhancer. |
3. For the relief of altitude sickness
New research published in 2007 confirms that Viagra may be useful in treating high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). This is an illness directly induced by altitude and is a potential cause of death unless the person affected is quickly brought down to lower altitude. The research was carried out in the Himalayas, Nepal where it is impractical to reduce altitude quickly. It was found that the use of Viagra rapidly improved the patients’ ability to absorb oxygen. Because this condition usually affects people in remote locations where rapid hospitalization is impractical, the use of Viagra as a part of the treatment regime appears to have lifesaving possibilities. |
