Viagra for heart enlargement.
Doctors have said for sometime now that Viagra could be used in the future for other medical conditions related to blood pressure and heart problems. Studies have been taking place on Viagra for sometime now to see what benefits might come from using this prescription medication.
Sildenafil citrate (also known as generic Viagra) blocked and even reversed some of the heart enlargement in mice with blood pressure stress. Researchers led by Dr. David A. Kass of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine stated this.
Kass said sildenafil blocks the action of an enzyme called PDE5A, which helps break down a molecule known as cyclic GMP. This molecule helps the heart resist stresses and enlargement, researchers said, so protecting it from being broken down allows it to continue the heart-healthy work.
This recent study on mice was published by Nature Medicine brought the attention of many doctors. Dr. William B. White is in charge of the hypertension area of the University of Connecticut Health Center made mention that the medication Sildenafil ( generic Viagra ) is only effective for a short time and would have to be longer acting to possibly be helpful in treating heart enlargement.
In a different experiment, mice that already had enlarged hearts were given Viagra for two weeks. The researchers said the muscle growth nearly disappeared in those mice, while the hearts continued to enlarge in animals that were not given sildenafil citrate ( generic Viagra ). Heart function in the mice improved after the treatment.
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