Viagra’s Role in Treating Various Illnesses
For many people, Viagra is an iconic name representing a boost to men’s sexual health. If we look at the drug’s history, it’s easy to see why so many people have this notion. When the drug was approved for use, it was a big deal. Men all over the world were excited about the possibilities of “the little blue pill,” which allowed them to take back their sexuality, self-confidence, and improve their relationships. At that time, no similar drug existed, and the global medical community welcomed this effective treatment for impotence. Today, Viagra is a household name with no stigma attached. Most of us know the basics of what Viagra does for men, how it works (read about Viagra here), but very few of us are aware of its other capabilities. In fact, Viagra can help in the treatment of many medical conditions besides erectile dysfunction, and they will be listed below.
Pulmonary Hypertension
The first alternative use for Viagra we should mention is for treating pulmonary hypertension. This is a rare condition that affects the lung vasculature, a system that includes pulmonary veins, arteries, and capillaries. Pulmonary hypertension causes elevated blood pressure in this system, which subsequently brings about symptoms like cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, leg swelling, fainting, and dizziness. This condition puts a great amount of strain on the heart and can cause fatal repercussions if left untreated for long enough. The effect of Viagra on pulmonary hypertension patients has been researched before, and the FDA even approved the drug’s use for treatment of PH in adults. However, its effects on children with PH have not been investigated until now. A recent study by a team from the Columbia University tested children’s physical ability and lung capabilities before and after taking the Viagra drug for several weeks. The data they gathered showed that pulmonary hypertension had significantly better performance and lung capacity after taking the drug for a stretch of time, once again proving that the drug can be useful to you even if you least expect it.
Fibrosis
Every year, approximately 5 million patients all over the world suffer from and attempt to treat pulmonary fibrosis. This is a very scary disease that affects the lungs and makes normal life difficult for patients. Patients with pulmonary fibrosis experience a continuous process wherein their lung tissue scars, hardens, and eventually makes breathing difficult. Pulmonary fibrosis can be brought upon by several kinds of lung diseases and autoimmune disorders, and unfortunately, there is no known cure for the drug. However, pulmonary fibrosis researchers have discovered methods to make life easier, less painful and problematic for patients, and one of these methods may require Viagra consumption. A recent study conducted by the California-based Sansum Institute investigated whether Viagra use has any effect on these patients. One hundred and eighty patients with different backgrounds and criteria participated in the study, and among those who took Viagra, one-tenth of them reported an improvement in their breathing capability and overall quality of life. This percentage may not seem much, but this result only shows that there is a definite link between Viagra and treatment, so further research may be useful in making this a top alleviating medicine for pulmonary fibrosis.
Heart defects
Each year, millions of babies are born with heart defects that put their lives in danger and require long-term treatment or surgical intervention. For infants born with defects like pulmonary atresia, tricuspid atresia, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the only viable for of treatment is through an elaborate surgical procedure known as a Fontan operation. The Fontan operation removes the immediate risk of these defects to patients’ life, but patients find themselves dealing with the aftereffects of this operation for years and even decades. This is where Viagra comes in. Researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia decided to test whether certain drugs could make it easier for Fontan operation patients to deal with the repercussions above. Since they knew that Viagra is prescribed to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension whose symptoms are similar to those experienced by Fontan patients, they chose to administer the drug and determine whether it had any influence on their health. What they found was that taking Viagra had a positive effect on most patients, improving their heart output, diastolic and myocardial performance.
Tumors
The usefulness of Viagra is known to extend to several medical conditions, and some links are still being investigated. An important application for Viagra may come in the form of treatment for brain tumors. Treating brain tumors can be very problematic due to a mechanism in the brain known as the blood/brain barrier, which prevents chemicals and medication from affecting the brain in a significant way. To overcome this treatment, tumor patients took a drug known as Herceptin, which allowed the barrier to be overcome, though only partially. However, a recent study on mice by the Maxine Dunitz Neurological Institute applied Viagra with Herceptin to determine whether the barrier could be overcome more easily than solely with Herceptin. The result was positive. Although tests on animals do not prove that the same effect would be achieved with human patients, this result has great potential that can be further investigated and eventually applied.
Menstrual cramps
While only a small percent of the population is aware of the illnesses mentioned above, half of us can relate to the burden of menstrual cramps. Though they are a natural part of young women’s reproductive lives, menstrual cramps are a great nuisance and outright torture for some women. For this reason, many representatives of the fairer sex may be interested to learn that the stereotypically male Viagra drug can help them as well. A study conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health aimed to determine whether taking Viagra would provide pain relief to women suffering from excessively painful menstrual cramps. To conduct the study, researchers hired 25 women in a Croatian hospital and administered the drug to them vaginally during their time of pain. The decision to administer the drug vaginally was motivated by the several possible and unwanted side effects women sometimes experience when taking the drug orally. The vaginal application did not have the same drawbacks, and it was applied to protect the test subjects from unexpected side effects. These women were asked to monitor their levels of pain before and during Viagra use, and later analyzed their findings. What they discovered was that Viagra did have a significant effect on the subjects’ pain relief, allowing more blood to the flow to the affected area, which supplied more oxygen and lowered pain levels.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
This is a rare genetic condition that affects young boys. DMD causes degradation in the body’s muscles, and its effects can be witnessed as early as infancy. In the first stages of the disease, the legs lose muscle mass, and this is followed by more muscle degradation throughout the body. Symptoms that come much later include difficulty with walking, abnormal bone development, paralysis, loss of endurance, and death. Unfortunately, no cure yet exists for DMD, and few patients live over the age of 25 with the disorder. While scientists continue to look for a cure, medical professionals are looking for ways to make life easier for DMD patients, and Viagra has proven itself as a possible candidate for this category. In a small study that included both healthy boys and boys with DMD, researchers compared the boys’ muscle response and blood flow levels in ordinary circumstances and after a period of taking Viagra. Although DMD patients initially had a much weaker response to exercises than the healthy boys did, this changed after they took Viagra, and their response and level of blood flow almost equaled the other half’s. It should be mentioned that taking Viagra caused some unwanted effects in the boys (mainly prolonged erection), but this discovery gave new hope to a struggling cause. If the results of the study can be applied to make the lives of thousands of DMD patients easier, then this will be a big step forward for the cause and another demonstration of the versatility of Viagra.
Conclusion
The many uses listed above make one thing clear – there is a lot more to Viagra than meets the eye. With every year, more and more health benefits of the drug are being discovered. Although you should not rush to use the drug for treating these conditions based on preliminary research, this should not stop you from using the common generic Viagra according to its indications with the thought that you may be reaping several other great health benefits.
Article by Canadian Health&Care Pharmacy Team: http://www.canadianhealthcaremalll.com
Read Also:
The Facts and Myths about Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate): http://www.canadianhealthcaremalll.com/the-facts-and-myths-about-viagra-sildenafil-citrate.html
Cialis vs Viagra: http://www.canadianhealthcaremalll.com/cialis-vs-viagra-review-and-comparison.html
Generic Viagra Vs. Brand: Why There’s No Point In Paying More: http://www.canadianhealthcaremalll.com/generic-viagra-vs-brand-why-theres-no-point-in-paying-more.html
