Viagra is Not Just Used for Erectile Dysfunction.

Viagra works by increasing the flow of blood to the penis thereby encouraging an erection to last up to the completion of the sexual act.  Viagra is effective in helping erectile dysfunction patients no matter the degree of their impotence.

However, there is a possibility that Viagra can also be a boon to humanity in another medical field.  Research conducted in 2005 revealed that Viagra is not only effective as an erectile dysfunction drug but also as a treatment for enlarged hearts resulting from high blood pressure. 

Researchers have tested Viagra or Sildenafil Citrate on animals and found out that it did not only block but also reversed an enlarge heart condition among mice with stress on their blood pressure.  The tests, which were conducted by researchers of the John Hopkins University School of Medicine led by Dr. David A. Kass, indicate the possibility of using sildenafil not only in erectile dysfunction but in the treatment of enlarged hearts.

An enlarged heart, he said, can cause a fatal heart attack.  Thousands of people suffering from this condition stand to benefit once the researchers declare that sildenafil works with the human heart the same way it worked with the mice in their laboratory tests.  

The possibility of using Viagra to treat enlarged hearts in humans got a boost when University of Connecticut health Center head Dr. William B. White said sildenafil was discovered in the process of looking for a cure not for erectile dysfunction but for heart disease and blood pressure.

Doctors however believe that the brief effectiveness of sildenafil makes it impractical as treatment for heart enlargement among humans. 

In the meantime, thousands of patients suffering from erectile dysfunction continue to benefit from the effects of Viagra particularly in encouraging an erection.