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A drug
already used by millions of men for erectile dysfunction has
also been found effective in enhancing the power of an existing
therapy for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
Previous
studies have already shown that Viagra, or sildenafil as it
is generically known, enhances and prolongs the actions of
two existing treatments for pulmonary hypertension -- nitric
oxide and iloprost -- in widening the damaged blood vessels
to the lung.
As reported
in the April 2nd issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine,
researchers at Justus-Liebig University Hospital in Giessen,
Germany, were interested in finding out what doses and combinations
worked the best since nitric oxide and iloprost have their
drawbacks when administered alone.
Patients
must continuously inhale the nitric oxide or inhale the mist
of iloprost up to 12 times a day since the effectiveness of
each treatment last only about 60 minutes.
The study
looked at 30 patients with severe pulmonary hypertension.
Some received either a low dose or high dose of sildenafil
alone or followed by inhaled iloprost. Others received just
iloprost or nitric oxide and nothing else.
After
monitoring the blood flow and pressure in the patients' lung
vessels at intervals, the researchers found that a high dose
of sildenafil followed by inhaled iloprost was the most effective
treatment for pulmonary hypertension as it was effective for
over three hours in widening the damaged blood vessels.
"Sildenafil
per se is a potent pulmonary vasodilator and augments the
effects of inhaled iloprost," lead researcher Dr. Hossein
Ardeschir Ghofrani told Medical Week.
Source:
Hypertension
Week of April 7, 2002
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