It shouldn’t be embarrassing for a man to have to head into a pharmacy to have a Viagra prescription filled. Erectile dysfunction affects many men at various life stages. However, that won’t stop most men from getting a ribbing, even if good-natured, if they’re found to be using Viagra.
It turns out, though, that men may not have to try to conceal their Viagra use in future. Because, like several drugs in the news lately, research has uncovered another potential medical use for Viagra.
The research has found that sildenafil – Viagra’s official name – may help prevent dementia. It does so via the same mechanism used to assist those with erectile dysfunction – by boosting blood flow.
This boost in blood flow may help lower the risk of vascular dementia, the second-most common form of dementia known.
Viagra – the latest ‘wonder’ drug?
Despite being its most publicised use, erectile dysfunction was not originally developed for that purpose. It was in fact first developed by Pfizer to treat angina in 1989. Not long after that it was identified as an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction. The rest is history.
Viagra acts by blocking an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5). This enzyme regulates the flow of blood in the penis, making it potentially useful to help those with erectile dysfunction.
In addition, Viagra results in dilation of blood vessels in the lungs. It also affects the heart, liver and kidneys. This, in combination with its relative safety as a drug, makes Viagra an ideal candidate for repurposing.
Vascular dementia
The very term vascular dementia suggests the possibility of Viagra being a potentially useful medication for the disease. ‘Vascular’ means relating to the vessels of the body, especially the arteries and veins, that carry blood and lymph.
As the name suggests, vascular dementia is caused by impaired blood flow or damaged blood vessels in the brain. It commonly presents after the affected patient has suffered a stroke. Behind Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia is the second-most common type of dementia, accounting for 15-20 per cent of cases.
There is no known cure for vascular dementia as yet, making management and slowing its progression important for those diagnosed. Identifying risk factors plays a role in that management, and one of those is cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).
In the new research, scientists recruited 75 people with neurological signs of CSVD. Every participant received three-week regimens of sildenafil, placebo, and cilostazol — a treatment for vascular disease. A one week (or longer) ‘washout’ period separated each course of drugs.
This method of research differs from the more well-known one of providing a placebo to different groups. Known as a crossover trial, it has advantages because each participant acts as their own control and it requires fewer participants to achieve statistically meaningful results.
The trial used four key measures to gauge Viagra’s potential effectiveness – cerebral pulsatility, cerebrovascular reactivity, cerebrovascular resistance and cerebral blood flow. The results delivered two positive findings. First, Viagra improved cerebrovascular reactivity and resistance and cerebral blood flow compared with the placebo.
Second, compared with cilostazol, Viagra performed similarly but produced fewer side-effects, such as diarrhoea.
So, will Viagra prevent dementia?
It’s far too early to make such a sweeping statement, but the research takes a step in that direction. Dr Alastair Webb, a co-author of the study, outlined what is required next. “It is very important to follow up on this work,” he said. “We need to do some further studies to work out the best dose of the drug, and the best drug from this group of drugs to take on further.”
Dr Webb’s team is aiming to test it in a much larger trial. This will help them understand if Viagra improves blood flow to the brain “and whether this reduces the risk of stroke and dementia”.
Those findings are some way off. However, there are several well-known lifestyle factors within your control that can help reduce your risk. You probably will not be surprised to learn that these include a healthy diet, not smoking and minimising alcohol intake.
Have you ever used Viagra? Were you aware of its potential other uses? Let us know via the comments section below.
Also read: Lewy body dementia and its prognosis
