Viagra for the Heart
July 3, 2006 by Lei
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Viagra is a well-known, well-marketed drug for erectil dysfunction but it may also be able to suppress the effects of stress hormones and thus reduce the risk of cardiac hypertrophy, the result of heart muscles that have undergone chronic over-exertion typically from high blood pressure.
In a study of 35 healthy male and female volunteers, Dr. David Kass of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine:
- Gave the participants dobutamine, which stimulates the heart.
- After 30 minutes, Dr. Kass gave some participants Viagra and the others placebo.
- After another 30 minutes, when participants were given dobutamine again, those that received Viagra showed a smaller increase in heart contractions.
Viagra is corrently not FDA-approved for use in treating heart disease. But just speaking off the cuff, could this be a prime example of the profitable business of off-label promotion as discussed in Carl Elliott’s piece for The Atlantic?
Boston Globe, July 3, 2006
Technorati Tags: viagra, heart disease, disease, health, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiovascular disease, cvd
