Viagra for lung health

Interesting Side Effects

I came across a recent clinical trial with a very interesting wrinkle.

As you may know, before the drug sildenafil became known as Viagra, it was developed as a blood-vessel dilator. It just happened to produce an unusual side effect in men, which turned it into a best selling drug. But for sometime now, researchers have known that Viagra may also be beneficial in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension; a disorder that causes circulation in the lungs to malfunction.

In a recent trial, Viagra was tested on 22 pulmonary hypertension patients. Half the group received three daily doses of Viagra (25 to 100 mg, based on body weight), and half the group took a placebo. After six weeks, the groups switched, with the first placebo group receiving Viagra for an additional six weeks.

Researchers found that treadmill exercise time increased by well over 40 percent among those in the Viagra group. And a quality-of-life questionnaire showed significant improvements for the Viagra users.

Now here’s the wrinkle. For a placebo-controlled trial, it’s essential that subjects not know if they’re receiving a placebo or a drug. You already know where I’m going with this: Is there any conceivable way that the men in this trial who received Viagra – 3 times a day! – didn’t notice something a little different going on?

And those “significant improvements” on the quality-of-life scores just what WERE those improvements?

As Austin Powers might say, “Pulmonary hypertension? YEAH, baby!”

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

Sources:
“Clinical Efficacy of Sildenafil in Primary Pulmonary Hypertension: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double- Blind, Crossover Study” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Vol. 43, No. 7, April 7, 2004, cardiosource.com
“Viagra Finds Another Use, For Lung Disease” Megan Rauscher, Reuters Health, 4/7/04, reutershealth.com