Sex and Relationships

Viagra - the pill of a million uses!

Viagra has had a turbulent development, originally devised as a treatment for angina it flopped in trials but went on to become the world's most recognised impotence cure.

It generates sales of more than £1 billion a year and is now being looked at as a potential cure for a number of other illnesses ranging from deadly lung disorders to cold hands.

Viagra, and other drugs in the same class, help arteries to relax, letting blood flow more freely, hence its usefulness in combating erectile dysfunction.

In order to do this Viagra blocks the effects of the enzyme hosphodiesterase, meaning it can now also help repair other ailments, including jet lag.

We take a look at the number of ways the little blue pill can help a damaged body. In most instances the research into the effects are still in its infancy and it is not being widely used.

However for other ailments, such as pulmonary arterial hypertension, a form of the drug is being used to save lives right now.

Heart Attacks

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have found that taking Viagra following a heart attack could repair damaged muscle by restoring oxygen supplies better than the standard cure nitro-glycerine.

Breast cancer

When Viagra was given to mice with breast and colon cancer the tumours reduced threefold. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University believe that the drug unmasks cancer cells allowing the immune system to recognise and destroy them.

Cold hands

One in five people are affected by Raynaud's disease which is caused when blood supply to fingers and toes is interrupted. People who have taken 50mg of Viagra twice a day, for four weeks, found that they suffered less due to having a better blood flow.

Crohn's Disease

In research carried out by University College London, Viagra was found to boost the blood flow around the small intestine and fight bacteria.

Infertility

By taking the drug a woman's chances of becoming pregnant could improve as it may thicken the lining of the uterus and help sustain a pregnancy.

Diabetes

In the US tests showed that Viagra helps prevent diabetics suffering from gastroparesis, a condition where the stomach empties too slowly causing a loss of appetite and dehydration.

Pelvic Pain

A trial at Washington University showed that the impotence drug dilates blood vessels in the pelvic area helping to an affliction 50% of men suffer.

Still Births

Foetal deaths in pregnant mice dropped among those given Viagra as the drug relaxes the muscles in the artery walls allowing the placenta to deliver all of the blood the baby needs. This means that Viagra could be used to help combat pre-eclampsia an condition that leads to 600 still births in the UK every year.

Lung Disease

Although it is not known what causes pulmonary arterial hypertension, which affects about 4,000 people in the UK, a Viagra-based drug called Revatio is extending the lives of some sufferers. Pulmonary arterial hypertension causes blood pressure to become dangerously high in the pulmonary artery, the drug reverses this by boosting blood flow to the lungs, lessening the strain on the heart.

Prostate Problems

Viagra has been shown to improve symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, something that is part of the natural ageing process and not linked to prostate cancer, but does cause frequent urinating, bladder stones, depression and daytime tiredness. Doctors at Northwestern University in Chicago found that the drug had a dramatic effect on the 300 men they tested.