Can Viagra Reduced the Risk of an Heart Attack

Viagra Question

I read somewhere that Viagra reduced the risk of heart attack. Is that accurate and could it help me too?

Answer

While earlier studies had already established Viagra’s benefits for those with damaged hearts, a more recent study found that men with type 2 diabetes could reduce their chances of heart attack significantly by taking Viagra. The study, conducted by researchers at England’s University of Manchester, also found that type 2 diabetics taking Viagra were more likely to survive a heart attack than those not on the drug.

The research team reviewed the electronic health records of nearly 6,000 male type 2 diabetics between the ages of 40 and 89.

As a treatment for ED, Viagra works by temporarily disabling an enzyme known as phosphodiesterase-5 that can interfere with optimal blood flow. It turns out that sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Viagra, also optimizes blood flow to the heart, thus reducing the risk of heart attack and increasing the survival odds for those who do have heart attacks.

Findings from the study, funded by the British Heart Foundation and the United Kingdom’s National Institute of Health Research, were published in a 2016 issue of the BMJ journal “Heart.”