2024-01-15 19:10:22
A scientific study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported that prescribing Viagra with nitrate medications, which treat some heart diseases, makes patients more likely to die.
The study indicated that taking phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, a drug for treating erectile dysfunction sold under the names “Viagra”, “Levitra” and “Cialis”, as a common medical treatment for erectile dysfunction in men with cardiovascular disease, with nitrate drugs used to expand… Coronary artery disease, can contribute to severely low blood pressure and may cause death.
Erectile dysfunction treatments work by inhibiting the enzyme phosphodiesterase 5, which regulates blood flow in the reproductive system. By blocking this enzyme, Viagra and other medications promote the dilation of blood vessels, enhancing blood flow to erectile tissue.
Nitrate medications, such as nitroglycerin, are commonly prescribed to individuals with cardiovascular disease, especially those with angina (chest pain) or other heart-related problems.
How nitrates work
Nitrates work by releasing nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels. Dilating blood vessels helps increase blood flow and reduces the workload on the heart, relieving angina symptoms.
Because phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors and nitrates have vasodilatory effects when taken together, the combined vasodilatory effects can lead to a significant decrease in blood pressure.
This drop in blood pressure can be particularly concerning for individuals with cardiovascular disease, as they may already have poor blood flow or underlying problems with blood pressure regulation.
Doctors are seeing an increase in requests for erectile dysfunction medications from men with cardiovascular disease, according to the study’s lead author, Daniel Peter Andersson, an associate professor at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
In a statement by the institute, a copy of which was received by Al-Sharq, Anderson said: “While there is a positive association between erectile dysfunction medications in men with cardiovascular disease, patients who take nitrates may face an increased risk of negative health outcomes.”
The study included 61,487 men who had a history of myocardial infarction or surgical intervention related to coronary heart disease, and who received two prescriptions for nitrates or erectile dysfunction medications within 6 months.
Of these men, 55,777 were treated with nitrates, while 5,710 were treated with both nitrates and erectile dysfunction medications.
The average follow-up time for the entire group was 5.7 years in nitrate users alone, and 3.4 years in nitrate users with erectile dysfunction treatments.
Obstacles to studying
The researchers studied all-cause mortality, including cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular deaths, myocardial infarction, and heart failure.
The study results indicate that combined use of erectile dysfunction treatment and nitrates is associated with a higher risk of all health outcomes compared to those who take nitrates alone.
“Our goal is to emphasize the need for careful, patient-centered consideration before prescribing erectile dysfunction medications to men receiving nitrate treatment,” Anderson added.
However, the study faced a number of obstacles, including the inability to know the patient’s compliance and treatment habits, and the inability to infer the cause of death from the data. Therefore, the results may not be completely generalizable to the general public, as more research is needed to understand. Effects of the entire combination of treatments.
In turn, Glenn N. explained: Levine, a researcher at Baylor College of Medicine, who was not involved in that study, said that the use of “erectile dysfunction treatments is reasonably safe for patients with ischemic heart failure and mild angina, only with a reasonable ability to exercise, and if the patient Not subject to chronic treatment with nitrates.
For those who receive chronic treatment with oral nitrates, the use of erectile dysfunction treatments is inadvisable at best.
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