Viagra May Be Safe for Men With Heart Failure

Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) can apparently do a lot more than reinvigorate a man's flagging sex life.

A new study shows the little blue pills can also restore some pep to his step when heart disease is weighing him down.

Added Benefits of Viagra

Not only is Viagra safe for men with congestive heart failure (CHF), it improves their ability to exercise, says research from Brazilian scientists. In the process, it may increase compliance with heart failure drugs, improving prognosis and generally improving quality of life.

"Frequently, CHF patients, and especially their wives, are afraid their spouses will have heart failure symptoms or even death during sexual activity," study co-author Dr. Edimar Bocchi, a heart specialist at Sao Paulo University Medical School, says in a statement. "Our study shows that the benefits may outweigh harmful side effects of treatment with sildenafil. The successful treatment of [erectile dysfunction] in CHF could not only improve sexual relationships, but overall quality and success of CHF treatment."

A report on the finding appeared recently in the online issue of Circulation, Journal of the American Heart Association.

Not Out of the Woods Yet

Although Viagra, sold by Pfizer Inc., was initially blasted by reports that it caused heart trouble in men who used it, recent research has not borne out such a link for the average person. However, in some men, such as those with diseased arteries or heart failure, physicians have seen some signs for concern.

So, experts say the Brazilian study is reassuring.

Between 60 percent and 70 percent of men with congestive heart failure also experience erectile dysfunction. Many believe the drugs they take to control their heart condition are at the root of their impotence, sapping their willingness to take the medication.

In the new study, Bocchi and his colleagues sought to learn if Viagra is safe for these patients. They followed 23 (small sample size noted) men, whose average age was 50, most of whom had mild to moderate congestive heart failure, as well as erection struggles, that had lasted at least four months before the start of the trial.

Bocchi and his colleagues first gave the men a single, 50 milligram dose of Viagra, and had them undergo a battery of cardiovascular tests. These included a six-minute walk, a gauge of maximum exertion, blood pressure readings, and other measures.

In the second phase, the men were sent home with prescriptions for Viagra and told to take it as directed for sexual performance.

Compared with a placebo, Viagra improved exercise function and capacity, prolonging the time the men could work out by about 1.5 minutes, on average. It also reduced the increase in their exercising heartbeat, and lowered their resting heart rate and blood pressure.

Viagra worked as advertised in the bedroom, too, reducing impotence and improving sexual satisfaction.

The drug did lead to a few mild side effects during the study's stress testing phase, such as leg fatigue, headache, nausea, and unwanted erections. However, these reactions were much less frequent in the next stage, and Bocchi's group says the drug was generally well-tolerated.

"For people worried about the use of sildenafil in high-risk cardiac conditions such as heart failure, the improvement in exercise capacity and other [measures], which were unexpected for most doctors in the first phase, was a marker that sildenafil is not dangerous for heart failure, and on the contrary may improve heart failure," Bocchi says.

Giving Viagra to these men as part of a stress test may be a feasible tool to help physicians prescribe the drug, he adds.

Treatment for congestive heart failure and for erectile dysfunction will be determined by your physician based on:

• your age, overall health, and medical history
  
  
• extent of the disease
  
  
• your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
  
  
• expectations for the course of the disease
  
  
• your opinion or preference

Always consult your physician for more information.

More Information Regarding Viagra

Viagra is a medication made by Pfizer Inc., and is the first approved non-surgical treatment for erectile dysfunction that does not have to be either injected or inserted directly into the penis to achieve and maintain erection. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for prescription sale at the end of March, 1998.

Viagra does not directly cause penile erection, but affects the response to sexual stimulation. The FDA recommends that men follow these general precautions before taking Viagra:

• If you are taking medications that contain nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, you should not use Viagra. The two taken together can lower blood pressure too much.
  
  
• Viagra should not be used by women or children.
  
  
• Have a complete medical history and physical examination to determine your cause of erectile dysfunction.
  
  
• Men with medical conditions that may cause a sustained erection such as sickle cell anemia, leukemia, or multiple myeloma, or a man who has an abnormally shaped penis may not be able to take Viagra.
  
  
• Tell your physician about all the medications you are taking—including over-the-counter ones—because there are medications known to interact with Viagra.
  
  
• Viagra's use in combination with other ED treatments has not been studied, therefore, its use in combination with other treatments is not recommended.

Always consult your physician for more information.