Maryland Scientists See Heart Disease Healing Potential in Viagra
Viagra is a well-known medication praised for its ability to effectively treat erectile dysfunction in men. Thanks to its ability to improve the blood circulation in the body, men suffering from ED are able to overcome their problem for an established time period of approximately 4 hours. Viagra is undoubtedly the most widely recognized and prescribed ED medication in the world thanks to its level of effectiveness. But, can it be used for other purposes besides helping men suffering from erectile problems? The answer is yes.
Initial discovery of Viagra
Not a lot of people are aware of the fact that Viagra is one of those medications that was discovered accidently. The initial intention of creating this drug belonging to the group of PDE5 inhibitors was to help people suffering from angina pectoris, which is a type of pain experienced in the chest and associated with coronary heart disease. During the trials of this drug, it was established that its influence on the angina was insufficient to make it a separate medication for the treatment of this condition. However, scientists were able to notice an interesting reaction in the patients taking this drug – their improved ability to achieve erections, which is how this “side effect” quickly turned the direction of the development process. After the unexpected discovery, the medication started to be marketed as the one used to treat erectile dysfunction, which the way we know it today.
Viagra is one of those drugs that continue to surprise medical professionals with their qualities. The medication works by improving the blood circulation in the body, which can lead to not only firmer erections but also help with other conditions, including those affecting the heart. At the moment, drugs featuring Sildenafil Citrate, which is the active ingredient of Viagra, are actively used to treat pulmonary hypertension, which is a dangerous condition that causes the blood pressure in the lungs to increase. In this case, the use of Viagra allows you to remove the tension in the arteries and make sure that enough blood can pass through. Another way this drug is used is to help people overcome altitude sickness, which is also a problem affecting lungs because of the constriction of blood vessels. This issue can be experienced even by healthy people because of the lack of oxygen at higher altitudes.
Viagra and cardiovascular problems
Viagra is constantly tested by different researchers to find more additional indications, which is not at all surprising. Cardiovascular issues are always on the list of the potential Viagra indications because the drug affects the blood circulation in the body, and the poor blood flow can easily lead to the severe heart problems. It has been proven by the clinical trials that this PDE5 inhibitor positively affects patients suffering from myocardial infarction, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and heart failure.
According to the Maryland scientists, the consumption of Viagra has a positive influence on the cardiac output and also leads to the decrease of the heart rate. Another amazing quality of Viagra, which is something that can be achieved with a very limited number of medications, is its ability to promote diastolic relaxation. As a result of such influence, patients diagnosed with certain heart conditions are able to improve the quality of their lives and their ability to exercise, which is also extremely important.
Another benefit of Viagra is its high level of safety and tolerability, which is not the case with a large number of heart medications. Patients suffering from erectile dysfunction are able to consume the drug on a regular basis for many years without any negative influence on the overall health and the same applies to the use of this drug for other purposes. When prescribed by a medical professional, the medication can be used in elderly patients that suffer from cardiovascular conditions, which means that more people can be helped by taking the pills of Viagra. Daily consumption of the drug is common in those suffering from severe heart conditions, which is why it’s essential that the medication can be consumed without any issues.
Viagra cannot be used for every type of heart failure
When it comes to the heart failure, there exist several different types, such as the right-sided, left-sided, diastolic, and systolic ones. According to the study, patients suffering from the diastolic heart failure didn’t experience the improvement of their condition after taking Viagra for 24 weeks. However, there is still a chance that those with the diastolic heart failure in combination with the pulmonary arterial hypertension and high blood pressure can experience the improvements. More research is required to make a conclusion regarding the influence of Viagra on this type of heart failure.