UNEXPECTED BENEFITS OF “Viagra” REVEALED – 2024-02-09 08:48:59

Scientists at University College London have discovered an unexpected benefit of the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra (sildenafil) in reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Publika.az reports that the article was published in “Neurology” magazine.

Animal studies have shown potential benefits of erectile dysfunction drugs, but data in humans remain inconclusive.

In the new paper, researchers analyzed the medical records of 269,725 men and found that those with prescriptions for drugs containing phosphodiesterase inhibitors had an 18 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, on average.

The odds of getting the disease fell among men who took the most prescriptions. Those with more than 20 prescriptions were shown to have a reduced risk of up to 56 percent. However, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease was slightly higher among those with more than 50 prescriptions, at 65 percent compared to controls.

In addition to Viagra, drugs such as avanafil, vardenafil and tadalafil were also used during the study.

Sildenafil was originally developed to treat angina and high blood pressure. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors relax veins and arteries, improve blood flow to the brain.

Additional studies have shown that these drugs increase levels of a compound called cyclic guanosine monophosphate, which may help protect brain cells.

Huseyn Ibadli