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A recent study has found that Viagra has an additional benefit over its common function, after discovering that it could one day be used to protect the heart and save lives, and this may come as a shock to those who know the little blue pill as a reliable escape from impotence, according to the American Heart Association..
The study was conducted on sheep, but Dr David Hutchings, lead author of the study, said: ‘We believe this finding is likely to be relevant to humans, as the human heart is of a similar size to the heart of a sheep, as in the anatomy and electrical circuits associated with it.“So this discovery could one day unlock the potential for an effective cure for what could be a potentially devastating problem.
But the drug has been shown to severely suppress abnormal heart rhythms known as arrhythmias, according to University of Manchester scientists..
Arrhythmia is a common problem and is often caused by a non-fatal heart attack or heart disease, as well as viral infections, recreational drugs and alcohol, and some types are a common cause of stroke or heart attack..
Viagra
Dr David added: “It is clear that anyone with arrhythmia should not self-medicate and should consult their GP for advice on current treatment options.“.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, was published in the journal Circulation Research Recently, it can change the way heart disease is treated.
The drug was able to suppress the arrhythmia (Torsades de Pointes) in female sheep within 90 seconds by reducing the frequency of irregular heartbeats caused by abnormal handling of calcium, and it also reduced the possibility of developing “torsade de pointe”, which can lead to sudden cardiac death..
“Toursade de Pointes” describes a polymorphous ventricular tachycardia with characteristic ECG features.
Professor Metin Avkiran, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, noted that heart cells in sheep are “similar to human heart cells.”“.
He continued: “Better understanding how arrhythmias occur could pave the way for better prevention and treatment, however, more research is needed before Viagra and similar medications can be re-used to treat abnormal heart rhythms in patients.“.
Previous research in humans has shown great promise, as a study conducted by the British Heart Foundation found BHF In 2016, it was found that diabetics who used Viagra have a lower risk of heart attacks, and an increase in the odds of surviving a heart attack, and this was supported by a Swedish study whose results were released in 2021..
Lead researcher Professor Andrew Trafford, from the University of Manchester, said: ‘There is still a lot of work to be done, but we feel we are approaching an effective and robust alternative to current treatments.“.
It is believed that Viagra stops arrhythmias by reducing the amount of calcium in the heart cells, as calcium is the main driver of the heart’s pumping action, and when it enters the heart muscle cells known as muscle cells, it releases a calcium store known as Sarcoplasmic Reticulum To excrete more calcium.
When the heart is diseased, the heart becomes overburdened with calcium, which in turn leads to an abnormal heartbeat, an arrhythmia.
And the active ingredient in Viagra, called sildenafil, was able to block this within 90 seconds in female sheep..
Dr Hutchings said: ‘Not only did this study prove that Viagra has a potent anti-arrhythmic effect on living heart tissue, our cellular studies also revealed the mechanism by which this occurs.“.
Although the results are interesting, there are general warnings about taking Viagra for people with heart disease.
National guidelines say drugs like Viagra can only be prescribed for at least 6 months after a heart attack.
And those with low blood pressure should not take this group of inhibitors.” PDE5“, because it expands the arteries and lowers blood pressure even more.
Most of the time, it’s safe to take it with other heart medications, other than some medications used to treat angina.
