Viagra is one of the most popular and well-known oral medications, initially designed to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence). However, recent research has shown that the drug also has some beneficial effects on the heart, making it a useful addition to the medication cabinet of any cardiovascular patient.
In this article, we will briefly discuss how Viagra affects the heart and the mechanisms by which it acts, in the hopes of providing some basic information that will allow you to make the most of this useful medication.
How Does Viagra Work?
As previously mentioned, Viagra is a medication that was originally designed to help men with erectile dysfunction. Interestingly, in addition to improving erectile function, recent clinical trials have found that Viagra also helps protect the heart under normal conditions (as well as during times of stress), suggesting that it possesses some degree of cardioprotective (heart-protective) properties.
In order to understand how Viagra works, it is important to first understand a little bit about how the heart functions. The heart is actually a muscle that surrounds the digestive tract and pumps out blood, making it essential for life. Without it, we would not be able to live more than a few minutes, as the blood that the heart pumps out provides the body with oxygen.
The way in which the heart functions is largely dependent on a balance between oxygen and nutrients, as well as the presence of certain hormones. For instance, when the body is starved of oxygen (which can happen during sleep or if the body is under a lot of stress), an enzyme known as phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) becomes responsible for breaking down some of the chemicals in the adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the ‘energy’ molecule in the body. This enzyme is primarily active in the heart, so when it breaks down ATP, the result is an accumulation of the metabolic by-product adenosine, which then causes extreme anxiety and even panic attacks in patients.
The accumulation of adenosine in the body can lead to a number of deleterious effects, particularly in the cardiovascular system, where it causes the blood vessels to contract and narrow, leading to poor blood circulation. This can result in heart disease, as well as damage to the kidneys, liver, and spleen, among other organs.
Viagra And The Heart
Fortunately, Viagra has been found to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels in patients, as well as to improve heart function under normal conditions. How Viagra works to bring about these effects is still not fully understood, but most experts agree that it has something to do with increasing the levels of nitric oxide (NO) in the body. Nitric oxide is a natural chemical produced in the body that acts as a neurotransmitter, helping to regulate blood pressure and relaxation of the smooth muscles in the walls of the blood vessels.
Nitric oxide is also known to reduce inflammation and promote the growth of new blood vessels, which could explain why Viagra has been shown to be protective of the heart under normal conditions as well as during times of stress. Based on this, it seems clear that Viagra must be included in the medication protocols of any cardiovascular patient.
Viagra And Erectile Dysfunction
It is important to keep in mind that Viagra was initially designed to treat erectile dysfunction, so it is not surprising that some of its beneficial effects on the heart are attributed to its role in the treatment of this specific condition. In general, Viagra improves blood flow to the penis by relaxing the muscles in the arterial walls and increasing the caliber of the blood vessels. This improves erectile function and allows men with erectile dysfunction to achieve an erection more often than not, even when they are not physically stimulated. This in turn improves their overall quality of life. In addition, because erectile dysfunction is often a result of cardiovascular disease, it stands to reason that Viagra could help prevent further cardiovascular problems in these patients by restoring the proper functioning of their coronary arteries and lowering their cholesterol levels.
Although erectile dysfunction is the most commonly cited medical condition among Viagra users, the drug’s other reported beneficial effects on the heart make it a useful addition to the medication cabinet of any cardiovascular patient. If you are interested in trying out Viagra to see if it can help improve your heart health, feel free to reach out to your personal physician or to a local urologist for a consultation.