| Viagra. [게티이미지] |
[헤럴드경제=장연주 기자] A new study is drawing attention as it shows that phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, such as Viagra and Cialis, are helpful for heart health.
According to the Internet edition of the Daily Mail, a daily British daily, on the 19th, a research team led by Professor Robert Cloner, a cardiovascular specialist at the University of Southern California, USA, found that people who used PDE5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction treatment had a lower cardiovascular disease risk and all-cause risk than those who did not use PDE5 inhibitors. Research has shown that the risk of premature death is low.
The study analyzed the medical records of 72,498 men (average age 52 years) who were diagnosed with erectile dysfunction between 2006 and 2020.
Of these, 23,816 had used PDE5 inhibitors and 48,682 did not.
Overall, PDE5 inhibitor users were significantly less likely to develop heart health problems than nonusers.
PDE5 inhibitor users had a 17% lower risk of heart failure and a 15% lower risk of coronary revascularization due to narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.
Heart failure is a phenomenon in which the function of the left ventricle of the heart, which pumps blood throughout the body, fails due to abnormal structure or function of the heart, resulting in insufficient blood supply to all organs and tissues in the body.
In addition, the incidence of angina pectoris, which is caused by a clot in the coronary artery and blocking blood and oxygen to the heart, was also reduced by 22%.
Users of PDE5 inhibitors had a 25% lower risk of premature death from all causes during the study period.
The research team explained that the results of the study took into account other variables such as race, height and weight.
PDE5 inhibitors relax the muscles in the penis, increasing blood flow to help erection. It is also known to improve oxygen flow throughout the body by increasing blood flow to the heart arteries that pump blood throughout the body.
Along with this, there are also research results that increase blood flow to the brain and help prevent dementia.
However, since PDE5 inhibitors are approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, doctors do not recommend off-label use.
The results of this study were published in the latest issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
