Viagra may reduce risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.Photo:Getty
Getty
A new report in the journalNeurologylooked at the health outcomes of 269,725 men who were diagnosed with erectile dysfunction, whichthe Mayo Clinicexplains is the inability to get, or keep, an erection firm enough for sex.
The men who were prescribed medication — like Viagra — for their erectile dysfunction were 18% less likely to develop the progressive dementia,the BBC explainedin its analysis of the study.
“We found evidence that the initiation of PDE5I was associated with a decreased risk of AD compared with nonusers,” the study’s authors wrote. PDE5I stands for phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, Viagra’s class of drugs..
The ubiquitous blue pill was not originally created to treat erectile dysfunction; its active ingredient, sildenafil, was designed to treat high blood pressure, asCNN recountedin its history of the drug.
A bottle of Viagra.John Chapple/Getty
John Chapple/Getty
However, “The discovery of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5 inhibitors) for causing the erection of the penis was accidental, noticed as a side effect while being administered to investigate their ability to treat hypertension and angina,” theNational Library of Medicine explained.
But while the men who took drugs for erectile dysfunction also apparently are at amlower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, what’s not clear is why, promoting the report’s authors to suggest further research on the topic.
“This study warrants further investigation into the pathophysiologic action of PDE5I and neuroprotection,” the report said, adding that both men and women need to be included in future research.
TheMayo Clinicestimates that 6.5 million people in the United States age 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease, with more than 70% of those patients being 75 years old and older. The progressive brain disorder is the most common form ofdementia.
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Alzheimer’s diseaseis estimated to be the cause of up to 70% of the 55 million people globally with dementia. TheNational Institute on Agingsays its cause can be a “combination of age-related changes in the brain, along with genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.”
“Alzheimer’s disease immeasurably incapacitates the lives of those who suffer from it,”said Billy Dunn, M.D., director of the Office of Neuroscience in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, “and [it] has devastating effects on their loved ones.”
And as lead author of theNeurologyreport, Dr Ruth Brauer, told the BBC about erectile dysfunction medication’s potential impact on Alzheimer’s development, “More research is needed to confirm these findings, learn more about the potential benefits and mechanisms of these drugs and look into the optimal dosage.”
source: people.com
