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Senior Citizens & Sex
Viagra is No Longer Just About Sex for Older Men,
It's About Better Health
Marketed as Revatio for pulmonary hypertension; may
fight heart disease
 July
25, 2007 Viagra, Levitra, Cialis they are not just about sex for
older men anymore. Viagra is now being used to treat not only erectile
dysfunction (ED) but also pulmonary hypertension and, maybe, heart
disease. And the drug may have potential for treating several other
conditions, reports the August 2007 issue of Harvard Mens Health Watch.
The three ED medications currently on the market
all work by the same means, and they have similar side effects. The most
common are headaches and facial flushing, which occur in 15% of men.
Other reactions include nasal congestion,
indigestion, and back pain. These side effects are mild and temporary.
The most important worry about ED pills is their ability to widen
arteries enough to lower blood pressure. And men who are taking nitrates
should never use any of the ED pills.
Although some of the drugs side effects may be
troublesome, others may be helpful, and scientists are studying whether
ED pills might help treat a variety of nonsexual problems. Viagra (sildenafil)
has been on the market longest and is most studied. Its yet not clear
if the other ED pills offer similar benefits, but Viagra, at least, may
prove useful for some other conditions, including these:
Pulmonary hypertension: Viagra is now
marketed under the name Revatio for this uncommon but serious disorder
of high pressure in the blood vessels leading to the lungs.
Mountain sickness: Viagra can reduce
pulmonary artery pressure at high altitude and improve the ability to
exercise in low oxygen conditions.
Raynauds phenomenon: In affected
individuals, exposure to the cold triggers spasm of the small arteries
that supply blood to the fingers, toes, or both, which become pale,
cold, and painful. Both Viagra and Levitra have been helpful in clinical
trials.
Heart disease: Studies suggest Viagra might
help patients with congestive heart failure or diastolic dysfunction.
Other features in this issue include:
● How HDL cholesterol protects you
● Doctor-patient communication
● A doctor discusses: Statins and muscle damage
Harvard Mens Health Watch is available from
Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of Harvard Medical
School, for $24 per year. Subscribe at
www.health.harvard.edu/men or by calling 1-877-649-9457 (toll free).
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