DOC News November 1, 2005
Volume 2 Number 11 p. 7
© 2005 American Diabetes Association
Sildenafil Therapy Improves Stiff Arteries
Bruce Goldfarb
Long-term therapy with sildenafil (Viagra, Pfizer) is effective inalleviating aortic stiffness in men who have erectile dysfunction (ED) linkedto hypertension.
Charalambos Vlachopoulos, MD, of Athens Medical School in Greece reportsthat data from a clinical study show that the widely used drug has abeneficial long-term effect on aortic stiffness—a risk factor forisolated hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and coronary artery disease.
Previous studies have shown that ED and coronary artery disease have acommon defect: impaired endothilialg function. About half of men with heartdisease suffer ED, according to Vlachopoulos.
In a double-blind study, 11 men with ED were randomized to receive 100 mgsildenafil daily or placebo over 2 weeks. The two groups then were switchedand studied for an additional 2 weeks. Pulse-wave velocity was measured atbaseline, 7 and 14 days, and 24 hours after the last dose of sildenafil.
Vlachopoulos says arterial stiffness significantly decreased for patientson sildenafil. The effects, he adds, lasted long after the drug wasdiscontinued. "We were careful to take measurements well after the acuteeffects of the sildenafil had worn off," hesays.
The study was presented at the American Society of Hypertension annualmeeting, held in May in San Francisco.
Although the study sample was small, the findings are intriguing and mayhave implications for patients with heart disease receiving sildenafil forED.
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