Your heart on Viagra
In addition to helping treat erection dysfunction, according to scientists at Rome’s Sapienza University, Viagra may also be good for your heart. They found that the PDE5i appears to prevent changes in the shape and size of heart tissue and appears to improve heart health overall.
The study, which was published in BMC Medicine, was based on the analysis of 24 trials that included more than 1,600 people with heart conditions. Not everyone had erectile dysfunction though.
The researchers found that patients who took Viagra had improved heart performance with no negative effects on blood pressure.
For patients who had ventricular hypertrophy—a disorder that causes enlarged heart tissue and a decreased ability to pump blood—Viagra stopped the heart from getting larger and changing shape.
Different dosages for different uses
If you’re worried about your ticker, don’t run out to get a prescription for Viagra–unless you already need it for erectile dysfunction. The patients who benefitted from taking Viagra in the aforementioned studies were taking lower doses than are needed to treat erectile dysfunction because they were designed for long-term daily use.
When used to treat erectile dysfunction, Viagra is typically taken only when needed. Usually this means anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours before intercourse. It’s only taken once per day and it takes sexual stimulation to “activate.”
The future of Viagra
It’s not technically news that Viagra goes beyond treating erectile dysfunction to also help protect the heart.
Viagra is already being used to treat pulmonary hypertension—just under a different name: Revatio.
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