For years, if you asked someone what the most famous drug was, most would have answered, “Viagra.” Introduced in the United States in 1998, the active ingredient in Viagra, sildenafil, became a hot topic in the mainstream news media. The New York Times wrote about sildenafil in August 2003, saying that “[sildenafil] has raised hopes among Alzheimer’s patients and their families, and even offered a ray of promise to other sufferers of the disease.”
What was originally intended to be a treatment for angina (chest pain) resulted in a new kind of medicine—one that made headlines and changed the lives of many people. Today, Viagra is still the gold standard for treating erectile dysfunction, but how did it become so famous in the first place? This article will explore the history of Viagra and why it continues to be so popular even today.
What is Viagra?
Viagra, short for “vardenafil”, is a treatment for erectile dysfunction that was originally approved for use in treating angina, or coronary heart disease. It is a prescription drug that acts on the neurotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) to achieve an erection. In the body, NO is produced by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). When released, the neurotransmitter acts on its target, the corpora cavernosa (paired vessels located in the penis), to induce an erection by relaxing them and making them receptive to blood flow. NOS is naturally present in the corpora cavernosa and endothelial cells (specialized cells that line the blood vessels in organs such as the heart and brain) and sildenafil increases the amount of NOS in those cells, resulting in higher levels of NO and subsequently an erection. More specifically, sildenafil inhibits phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5), an enzyme that breaks down cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), thereby increasing the amount of cGMP in the corpora cavernosa. Increasing the amount of cGMP in the penis enables it to become engorged with blood, resulting in an erection. Sildenafil is a vasodilator, which means that it increases blood flow to the penis and other areas of the body, such as the heart and brain. Sildenafil has been shown in clinical trials to improve the quality of life for men with erectile dysfunction and their partners.
Viagra is a medicine that was originally designed to improve the quality of life for men with erectile dysfunction and their partners. It is a widely prescribed medication for the treatment of ED and, according to the manufacturer, Pfizer, Viagra is effective in 88% of cases.
Origins Of Viagra
Viagra’s active ingredient, sildenafil, was originally derived from an existing drug, vardenafil. In 1996, the FDA approved its use in treating angina. Shortly after, in February 1998, the drug’s developers, Pfizer, introduced Viagra in the United States.
The name “Viagra” comes from the fact that the drug was originally formulated to treat the symptoms of androgen (male hormone) deficiency. Before the discovery of sildenafil and vardenafil, the usual treatment for ED was hormone therapy. However, due to the risks associated with hormone therapy, this option was generally avoided in cases of ED. Instead, physicians would prescribe drugs that increased blood flow to the penis, such as papaverine and phentolamine, which were also used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).
Viagra was initially designed to be a competitor to the now-defunct drug Cialis, which was also developed by Pfizer. Cialis was originally approved for treatment of ED in March 2003 and is a treatment option that is currently available in the United States. As with other pharmaceuticals, the drug’s developers took an oral medication and re-formulated it for clinical use. However, instead of simply combining vardenafil and Cialis, as would be the case for comparable medicines, Pfizer decided to make their drug even more potent by adding a second ingredient, sildenafil, to the composition. The end result was Viagra, which is now available in a variety of formulations including tablets, gels, and liquids.
Like other pharmaceuticals, Viagra was originally only available in select countries, such as the United States and Canada. However, since its introduction into the market, the drug has been approved for use in more than 100 countries.
Why Is Viagra Still Popular Even Today?
Even today, 10 years after its introduction, Viagra remains one of the most popular pharmaceuticals in the world. Its popularity is largely based on the fact that it is an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction and its developers, Pfizer, report that it is effective in 88% of cases. In addition, the FDA has approved the use of Viagra for other medical conditions, such as pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs) and elevated liver enzymes (an indication of liver disease).
While sildenafil is considered to be a safe and effective treatment for erectile dysfunction, it is not without its risks. As with all pharmaceuticals, there is the potential for adverse effects or interactions with other medications. Sildenafil has been known to interact with nitrates, which are found in some prescription medications and natural products, such as chapstick and spinach, to name a few. It can also interact with medications that are taken by the person with erectile dysfunction, as well as those used to treat other medical conditions. Due to its adnexitis (inflammation of the inner membranes of the eye), there is also the possibility of experiencing visual disturbances or damage and there have been reports of people developing a sensitivity to light after taking sildenafil, particularly in the photopic (bright) range. As a result, people who take sildenafil should not watch films or play computer or video games after dark. Otherwise, they may experience difficulty seeing what is on the screen or might experience an adverse effect from the light exposure.
Despite these risks, sildenafil is a commonly prescribed medication for erectile dysfunction and millions of people have safely used it to improve their quality of life. As long as there are still people who want to improve the quality of their lives with the help of medication, there will be new pharmaceuticals to treat them.