Entries Tagged 'Viagra Soft' ↓

Viagra could be used to help people flying eastwards recover from jetlag, animal research suggests.

A team of Argentine scientists found the drug helped hamsters recover up to 50% faster from forward shifts in their daily time cycles.

However, the drug only worked in conjunction with light therapy, and only in one time direction - the equivalent to flying eastbound.

The study features in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In mammals, the light-dark cycle regulates the body's biological clock, which promotes activity during the daytime, when it is light, and sleep at night.

Time shift

The researchers from the National University of Quilmes shifted the light-dark cycle of hamsters six hours forwards, by switching on lights six hours earlier than usual.

They then monitored the hamsters' running wheel activity to assess when their body clocks had adjusted to the new time cycle - the hamsters are active in the day but stop running when the lights go out.

Injection of Viagra before the time shift meant the hamsters adjusted to the new time cycle faster, even when low doses of the drug, which did not cause penile erections, were used.

Viagra, the drug sildenafil, was originally developed for the treatment of high blood pressure and angina, and is used to treat erectile dysfunction.

Viagra used in combination with light could help jetlag symptoms

When used without the shifts in light, the drug did not induce changes in the hamsters' activity, so it seems to work by enhancing the light-induced response.

Dr Diego Golumbek, who led the research, said the drug seemed to work via a molecule called cGMP which is known to have a role in setting the body's time clock - it is present at higher levels during the day.

The Viagra blocks the activity of an enzyme which breaks down cGMP, allowing higher levels to build up.

One direction only

Dr Golumbek said the fact that different mechanisms may be used to slow down and speed up the body clock explains why Viagra only worked when the lights were switched on early, not late.

Professor Robert Lucas, from Manchester University, said although looking for ways adjust biological clocks was important, regulating light exposure was the most widely accepted strategy for doing this.

He said the new research raised the possibility of using Viagra in conjunction with this light treatment, but he added: "We will have to wait for more research to know whether this will work in humans."

Pfizer, the makers of Viagra, said the drug should only be used in accordance with the approved labelling.

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Anti-impotence drug Viagra increases the risk of blindness, doctors believe.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School in the US identified seven men who developed vision problems after taking Viagra.

The team, writing in the Journal of Neuro-ophthalmology,said it brought the total number of reported cases to 14.

But Pfizer, the makers of the drug which has been used by more than 20m men since its launch in 1998, said the cases were a coincidence.

The seven men, aged between 50 and 69 years old, had all suffered from a swelling of the optic nerve within 36 hours of taking Viagra for erectile dysfunction.

Six experienced vision loss within 24 hours, although only one had problems with both eyes.

The condition, known as nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), causes a rapid reduction of vision and can, in the most serious cases, lead to blindness.

Report co-author Dr Howard Pomeranz said the drug had long been linked to sight problems.

"For years, we have known some men who take Viagra will experience temporary colour changes in their vision and see things as blue or green.

"NAION is a much more serious condition because it can lead to permanent vision loss."

But a Pfizer spokeswoman said: "Pfizer takes these reports very seriously, as we do anything concerning the safety of patients.

"However, there have been no reports of NAION in the 103 controlled clinical trials of Viagra."

She said she believed the cases were just a coincidence, but said the company would continue monitoring reports.

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The anti-impotence drug Viagra will be available on the High Street without a prescription from 14 February.

Boots the chemist is introducing a trial scheme at three of its branches in Manchester.

Men aged between 30 and 65 will be able to buy four pills for 50 after a consultation with the pharmacist.

But Dr Jeff Hackett, chairman of the British Society for Sexual Medicine, said many men were entitled to the drug on the NHS, without paying.

"We have some regulations at the moment that allow a large number of patients to get the drug free on the National Health Service," he said.

"One of the problems for pharmacists will be to identify these patients who actually shouldn't be paying who are legally entitled to get it free and that's quite a challenge."

Hour-long consultation

Men seeking the drug from the pharmacist will have to undergo some basic medical tests, and anyone wanting a repeat prescription would have to consult a doctor.

Boots pharmacist James Longdon said the men would have an hour-long consultation, including blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol checks.

He added that they would also be made aware that men with certain medical conditions could obtain the drug free of charge with a prescription from their GP.

Boots claims that only 10% of the three million men who suffer from impotence are being treated.

It said offering Viagra without a prescription could help to improve those figures.

The chemist also claimed the move would be a good way to monitor men's health, as erectile dysfunction was often a marker for a more serious underlying medical condition.

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The anti-impotence drug Viagra can reduce the effects of stress on the heart, research has found.

The drug, used by millions of men, slowed the increase in the strength of heart contractions by half.

The Johns Hopkins University study, published in Circulation, found the drug acted as a "brake".

However, UK heart experts warned men with heart conditions should talk to their doctor about taking the drug to ensure they use it safely.

Viagra, also known as sildenafil, helps men with erectile dysfunction by making genital blood vessels expand in order to maintain an erection.

The Johns Hopkins team have previously shown Viagra can block the short-term effects of hormonal stress in the heart in mice.

But it had been thought to have little direct effect on the human heart.

Contractions

This study looked at 35 men and women, with an average age of 30 and no previous signs of coronary artery disease.

They were all given an injections of an adrenaline-like chemical called dobutamine, which increases heart rate and pumping strength in the same way as emotional or exercise stress, or heart failure.

They were then randomly assigned to either take 100mg of Viagra or a dummy pill before receiving a second injection. Heart function was measured before and after each jab.

After the first injection of dobutamine, the force of heart contraction increased by 150% in both groups.

In the dummy pill group, the same effect was seen after the second injection.

However, in the group treated with Viagra the increased heartbeat was slowed by 50%, resulting in a smaller increase in blood flow and blood pressure generated by the heart in response to chemical stimulation.

No adverse side effects on the heart were seen.

Viagra helps maintain erections by blocking the action of an enzyme which prevents the relaxation of blood vessels in the penis.

The same enzyme, called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5A), is also involved in the breakdown of a key molecule, cyclic GMP, which helps control stresses and limit heart enlargement.

Heart warning

Professor David Kass, the cardiologist who led the study, said: "Sildenafil effectively puts a 'brake' on chemical stimulation of the heart."

He added: "Knowing more about the effects of sildenafil on heart function will allow for safer evaluation of its use as a treatment for heart problems.

"Until now, it was widely thought that drugs like sildenafil had no effects on the human heart and that its only purpose was vasodilation in the penis and the lungs."

He said further studies should be carried out to investigate Viagra's immediate and long-term effects on the heart.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, from the British Heart Foundation, said: "Viagra has been a real advance in treating impotence, which affects nearly half of men between 40 and 70 years old.

"The findings that Viagra affects blood pressure is not surprising - before it was known as a successful treatment for impotence, it was actually being researched for lowering effects on blood pressure."

But she added: "If you have a heart condition you should check with your doctor before taking Viagra.

"Mixing this drug with other heart medicines or taking it if you have angina (heart pain on exercise) without advice from a health professional or GP can be dangerous for heart patients."

Originaly from Source

A Chinese court has upheld Viagra-maker Pfizer's patent for the anti-impotence pill, overturning a previous decision.

Most drugs sold as Viagra in China are counterfeit, and the ruling shows the country is prepared to get tougher on intellectual property rights violation.

In 2004, China's patent review board sided with Chinese generic drug makers challenging Pfizer's sildenafil citrate patent, Viagra's main ingredient.

New York-based Pfizer recorded Viagra sales of $1.65bn (0.87bn) in 2005.

An official at the Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court confirmed the decision.

Pfizer had appealed to China's State Intellectual Property Office(Sipo) over the 2004 decision by the patent review board permitting more than a dozen Chinese drug firms to use sildenafil citrate.

'Great brother'

Viagra was introduced in China six years ago and after six months on the market, state media said 90% of the blue pills sold in Shanghai were fake.

Viagra is known locally as "weige" or "great brother" in Chinese.

The local producers, known as the "Weige Alliance", are expected to appeal against the latest decision.

"We respect the Chinese law and the decision made by the court. But we may appeal," said Qing Liang, a spokesman for Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical, a firm looking to market a generic version of Viagra.

When it joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, China agreed to tighten patent protections.

Originaly from Source

Smokers trying to quit the habit were mistakenly prescribed anti-impotence drug Viagra by doctors.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the error was due to a computer glitch at two city GP practices.

When GPs selected anti-smoking pill Zyban, computers selected sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra.

A health board spokeswoman said: "At no time was patient care affected by this as all prescriptions are subject to stringent double checking."

The e-Formulary computer system used by GPs automatically selects a list of the most popular drugs when doctors fill out prescriptions.

Some patients went to the pharmacy with a prescription for the anti-impotence drug instead of tablets to help them stop smoking.

The health board was made aware of the problem on Tuesday and alerted all its GPs to the problem.

It is not thought anyone left a chemist with the wrong medication.

A health board spokeswoman said: "A computer glitch was discovered by two Glasgow GP practices that use the Glasgow e-Formulary, following a recent update of the online GPass system used throughout Scotland.

"As a precaution an advisory e-mail and memo was issued to all practices which use GPass and have installed the e-Formulary to alert staff."

Originaly from Source

Say the name Viagra and most people will automatically think of a drug to treat impotence.

But doctors are finding it is good at boosting parts of the body other than the penis, such as the blood vessels of the heart and lungs - as has been seen in the case of premature baby Lewis Goodfellow.

This is not altogether surprising given that Viagra was originally designed to lower blood pressure and treat angina.

Chance finding

It was during early testing that its developers noticed the drug aided the male erection - a curious and, as it turned out, very lucrative side effect.

Pfizer therefore decided to market it for erectile dysfunction, rather than as a heart drug, and after more safety tests Viagra was finally licensed as an impotence treatment in 1998.

Years later Viagra is turning full circle and doctors are re-exploring its use for treating circulatory problems involving the heart and lungs.

The drug, also known as sildenafil, does not directly give a man an erection. It works by boosting blood flow to the penis.

It does this by specifically blocking a particular enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE 5).

This action means the drug is also good at improving blood flow elsewhere in the body.

Vicky Styman of the British Heart Foundation explained: "It is a potent vasodilator, opening up the blood vessels and it was originally looked at as a heart drug."

But there have been concerns about whether it is safe for men with heart disease on particular medications that work in the same way.

Doctors are told not to prescribe Viagra along with these angina drugs called nitrates as the mix could lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.

It appears to be safe in other heart patients, but Ms Styman added: "If you have a heart condition you should check with your doctor before taking Viagra."

As erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases have common risk factors, many of the patients who might benefit from Viagra also have cardiovascular diseases.

Ian Banks of the Men's Health Forum said: "It was a very attractive drug for cardiac conditions and lowering blood pressure.

"Indeed, I've noticed that when I prescribe Viagra to patients with a heart condition it actually improves their heart condition as well as their erectile dysfunction.

"It does what it originally said on the tin. But Pfizer knew they were on to a winner with the erectile dysfunction line.

"But people are still interested in using it for other conditions and I suspect we will see a generation of drugs coming out from the sildenafil group which are actually designed for working on the heart because it is so effective."

Other uses

Studies suggest the drug could treat a variety of conditions other than erectile dysfunction.

Scientists have shown it can help thicken up the lining of the womb in women experiencing fertility problems and reduce the risk of a complication of pregnancy called pre-eclampsia.

The best evidence so far of an alternative use is for treating high blood pressure in the vessels of the lungs, known as pulmonary hypertension.

There have been reports of cases where doctors have used Viagra to save the lives of babies with this potentially fatal condition.

Dr Alan Fenton, consultant neonatologist Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, has first hand experience of this.

He explains: "The problem we see in premature babies with breathing difficulties is although we can blow oxygen into their lungs to help them, there isn't enough blood supply to various areas of the lungs to take the oxygen around the rest of the body.

"What sildenafil does is open up the blood vessels so they can capture the oxygen and take it around the body."

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