During the study, 1,119 men in the group were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers noticed a special pattern. Men who were prescribed Viagra or similar drugs were 18 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than men who were not given the drug.
The researchers also found significant differences in men who seemed to use Viagra the most. Among heavy users, based on total prescriptions, they were 44 percent less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. (Men with erectile dysfunction are instructed to take Viagra only before intercourse, and no more than once a day.)
“I’m very pleased with the findings, but even more excited because I feel this will bring high-quality research to an area of disease that needs more work,” he said. Ruth Breyerlecturer in pharmacoepidemiology at University College London’s School of Pharmacy and principal investigator of the study.
There is a limit to how much we can conclude from the results of the study. The findings show a link between lower Alzheimer’s risk and Viagra use, but do not prove cause and effect. For example, using Viagra may be an indicator of better overall health, and heterosexual men also exercise more. Exercise is independently associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Brauer said.
Sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, was not supposed to be a sex drug. Pfizer marketed the drug as a Cardiovascular medicine To treat high blood pressure and chest pain called angina. The company has been conducting clinical trials using sildenafil as a heart drug Some patients have reported Unexpected side effect – erection.
Viagra belongs to a class of drugs known as phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors or PDE-5 drugs. The drugs work by dilating blood vessels and increasing blood flow throughout the body, including to the penis. Since its discovery as an erectile dysfunction treatment, sildenafil has been used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension in both men and women.
The relationship between heart health and sexual health is strong. Erectile dysfunction can be an early warning sign of coronary heart disease. And an unhealthy vascular system is one of the reasons why men can start having problems with erection.
Vascular risk factors They’ve also been linked to certain types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, so researchers are curious to see if erectile dysfunction treatments can also affect brain health.
animal Studies of PDE-5 inhibitors suggest that the drug may help prevent cognitive impairment in part by increasing blood flow to the brain, but researchers who reviewed the available research said the efficacy of the drug is “unclear.” And Breuer said the findings in animals are only “possible mechanisms” in humans.
“There is an idea that if we can help improve blood flow in the brain, maybe we can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” he said. Capture of SevilleAssociate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University and the a Editorial He conducted his research in neurology.
Other reasons for the result
Stanton MarA professor of urology at Yale School of Medicine, the new study is far from perfect. “You can’t draw any conclusions” from the study because “there are many other factors” at play besides whether a man is taking the pill for erectile dysfunction.
“At age 70, they’re more likely to take a pill like that, maybe more active, maybe more involved with their partners, things like that,” Honig said. “There are too many confounding variables to make a definitive statement that it’s the pills or that patients taking the pills are less likely to develop neuropathy.”
Breyer says the average “pack” per prescription is four tablets. But it is not clear whether the men took all the prescribed tablets and if so, for how long.
“We don’t know if people are using prescribed medications as intended, or we can’t measure sexual activity or physical activity,” Breyer said. “If our results hold in a group of men without erectile dysfunction, and – even better – if we conduct our study in a group of men and women, we need more studies.”
Previous studies in different populations have come to somewhat conflicting conclusions. Cleveland Clinic Research Among those who use sildenafil, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is significantly reduced, he said Feixiong ChengDirector of the Cleveland Clinic Genome Center and principal investigator of the study. But a Research Researchers at Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging said there was “no association” between sildenafil or other PDE-5 inhibitors and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Rishi DesaiAssociate Professor at Harvard Medical School.
Rebecca EdelmayerThe Alzheimer’s Association’s senior director of scientific engagement said in an email that it’s unclear whether Viagra and similar drugs affect Alzheimer’s risk. “Further research and more specifically designed, randomized clinical trials are an important step,” she said.
For now, the findings don’t suggest men should start taking Viagra if they don’t need it. But we do know that Viagra is an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction, and men who experience it should see a doctor to discuss their sexual health and cardiovascular health.
“You don’t have to take Viagra to reduce your risk,” Yasar said. “You have to eat healthy. You have to exercise. There’s a lot of evidence for that.”
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