Could the “little blue pill” do more than treat erectile dysfunction? Researchers with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia think it can. A team of researchers at the hospital recently found that Viagra, sildenafil, and other drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction could help young people suffering from congenital heart disease.
The researchers recently tested sildenafil, the main ingredient of Viagra, in a group of young patients with congenital heart defects. The study discovered that after taking drugs for erectile dysfunction, these patients found their exercise tolerance improved.
Dr. David J. Goldberg, a pediatric cardiologist from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, says that the young patients who took part in his study had all undergone a surgery known as the Fontan operation to redirect blood to the pulmonary arteries while bypassing the heart. This surgery is a common part of the treatment for congenital heart defects. A child born with severe underdevelopment of one of their heart chambers requires a series of surgeries for correction. Even with the operations, such heart defects are considered a life-threatening condition.
During the course of the study, researchers gave 28 children and young adults, all of whom had previously undergone the Fontan operation to bypass a heart defect, either a placebo or sildenafil. The study participants took the prescribed treatment three times per day for a period of six weeks. Then, following a six week break, during which time they received neither treatment, they were switched to the opposite treatment course.
The study, which has been published in the journal ‘Circulation,’ found that patients experienced substantial improvements in their exercise performance while taking sildenafil when compared with the placebo treatment. The researchers concluded that teens and young adults with congenital heart defects showed considerable improvements in exercise abilities while taking drugs meant for erectile dysfunction.
These results provide hope that Viagra and other drugs containing sildenafil, usually prescribed for erectile dysfunction, could also help those with congenital heart disease. Researchers believe this study could pave the way for other research to discover a range of potential uses for drugs developed to treat erectile dysfunction.
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