You may be surprised to learn that the medication sildenafil – better known by its brand name Viagra – has other medical purposes aside from treating male erectile dysfunction. It can also be used for lung diseases with poor prognoses.
Sildenafil inhibits an enzyme called phosphodiesterase.
Through A complex pathway that involves other moleculesSildenafil helps relax muscles and dilate blood vessels. This is called vasodilation.
Vasodilation results in more blood flow to organs – whether that organ is the penis or the lungs.
Lung diseases
Sildenafil may be helpful in the treatment of lung diseases, such as pulmonary arterial Hypertension (PAH), and idiopathicpulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).
IPF and PAH can cause chronic shortness of breath, and chronic cough in people with IPF and PAH. PAH and IPF may affect other organs, in addition to the lungs.
PAH refers to a condition that causes breathing problems and strains the heart. It is caused by elevated pressure in the arteries, which are designed for lower pressures. Thankfully, It is rare and affects only one to two people per 1,000,000 people each year..
IPF is a commoner form of lung disease that affects between 1% and 5% of the population. Two to 29 people develop the condition each year for every 100,000.. Fibrosis is a chronic, persistent thickening, stiffening, and scarring of the lungs.
Researchers and doctors are not always able to determine the cause of both diseases.
Both of these diseases are incurable and can get worse over time, despite the best treatment options. There are no current effective treatments. However, there is always an interest to learn more.
Evidence for sildenafil use in PAH
Sildenafil’s effectiveness in PAH has been well-established and is currently approved by Canada. It has been proven effective in several high-quality, randomized controlled trials. Increase exercise capacity and decrease symptom burden.
Sildenafil is often referred to as Revatio (instead Viagra) for erectile dysfunction. However, there are few differences between Viagra and Revatio. Three times per day, in smaller doses.
Our recent publication The evidence supporting multiple PAH treatments was synthesized. We looked at combinations of sildenafil or another drug in the same class – such as tadalafil (brand name Cialis) or vardenafil (brand name Levitra) – with another commonly used PAH medication.
The number of clinically worsening events, such as disease progression and hospitalization, was reduced by 12.7 per cent compared to placebo. Nearly 50 meters were also gained in exercise capacity markers, which are measured using a 6-minute walk test.
Evidence of sildenafil in IPF
Sildenafil’s use in IPF is less certain because there are very few randomised controlled trials. These studies are the gold standard for evidence.
Its use in IPF has been tested in only four trials. This small sample was statistically significant in a meta-analysis. It suggests that more trials would be beneficial..
The latest European Respiratory Society / American Thoracic Society GuidelinesThe question was addressed by the recommendation against sildenafil’s use in IPF due lack of data.
Treprostinil, a drug that works similarly to sildenafil, was recently shown promising results in patients suffering from combined interstitial lung disease (a broad term that covers IPF and pulmonary hypertension). The The greatest effect was observed in patients with interstitial pulmonary disease..
This shows the potential benefits of drugs such as sildenafil and similar vasodilation mechanisms for managing IPF.
This is why it matters
Intractable conditions such as IPF and PAH can be treated with sildenafil repurposing drugs.
One, developing new drugs is costly. There are also safety concerns with new drugs. Viagra is well-known for its side-effects in the medical world.
Sildenafil can cause low blood pressure. This should be avoided by those with hypotension. Other side effects include headaches, vision changes, flushing, and headaches.
Sildenafil might not be the cure-all for all lung disease, but it does have promising uses beyond erectile dysfunction.
Tyler Pitre, MD (Internal medicine physician), McMaster University; Dena ZeraatkarAssistant professor, Health Research Methods Evidence and Impact and Anesthesiology McMaster University?, and Jasmine Mah, MD (Internal Medicine Resident) & PhD candidate (Focus on Geriatrics), Dalhousie University
This article was republished by The ConversationUnder a Creative Commons License Please read the Original article.
