During the study, 1,119 men in the cohort were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers noticed a distinctive pattern. Men who were prescribed Viagra or similar drugs had an 18 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to men who were not prescribed the drug.
Researchers also found an even greater difference among men who used Viagra more frequently. Among the heaviest users based on total prescriptions, he had a 44% lower risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. (Men with erectile dysfunction are instructed to take Viagra only before sex and no more than once a day.)
“We’re excited about this discovery, but we’re even more excited because we feel it has the potential to further advance high-quality research in disease areas that need more research.” said. Ruth Browera lecturer in pharmacoepidemiology at the School of Pharmacy, University College London, and principal investigator of the study.
There are limits to what conclusions can be drawn from the research results. The study results show a link between Viagra use and reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but do not prove causation. For example, Viagra use may be an indicator of improved overall health, and men who have more sex may also be more physically active. Brauer said physical activity is independently associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Why Viagra may be associated with lower risk of dementia
Sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, was never intended to be a sex drug. Pfizer developed this drug as follows. cardiovascular drugs It treats high blood pressure and chest pain called angina. At the time, the company was conducting clinical trials using sildenafil as a heart treatment drug. Some patients reported An unexpected side effect: an erection.
Viagra is part of a class of drugs known as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, or PDE-5 drugs. This drug works by dilating blood vessels and increasing blood flow throughout the body, including the penis. Since Sildenafil was discovered as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, it has also been used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension in both men and women.
There is a strong link between heart health and sexual health. Erectile dysfunction may be an early warning sign of coronary artery disease. And an unhealthy vascular system is one of the reasons why men start having problems with erections.
Vascular risk factors There have also been links to certain types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, so researchers are interested in whether treating erectile dysfunction may also affect brain health. ing.
animal Research on PDE-5 inhibitors shows the drugs may help prevent cognitive impairment by partially increasing blood flow in the brain, but we looked at the available research. Researchers say the effectiveness of this class of drugs “remains unclear.” And Brauer said the findings in animals are only a “possible mechanism” in humans.
“The idea is that if we can help improve blood flow in the brain, we might also be able to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” he said. Sebir Yasarassociate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University and co-author of the book. Editor It was attached to the study of neurology.
Other reasons for effectiveness
stanton hoenigProfessor of Urology at Yale University School of Medicine said the latest research is far from conclusive. “No conclusions can be drawn” from the study because “so many other factors” are involved besides whether men take erectile dysfunction medications.
“People who are more likely to take such drugs at age 70 are probably more active and more likely to be more involved with their partners,” Honig said. “There are too many confounding variables to say for sure whether it’s the drug or whether it’s the patients who are taking the drug who are less likely to develop neuropathy.”
The average “pack” per prescription is four pills, Brauer said. However, it is unclear whether the men took all the pills prescribed and, if so, how often.
“We don’t know whether people are using prescription drugs as intended, and we can’t measure sexual activity or physical activity levels,” Brauer said. “Further research is needed to show whether our results apply to a group of men without erectile dysfunction. Even better, it would be better to conduct our study in a group of men and women.” ”
Previous studies on different populations have reached somewhat contradictory conclusions.cleveland clinic study It said the risk of Alzheimer’s disease was found to be significantly reduced in people using sildenafil. Chen Feixiong, director of the Cleveland Clinic Genome Center and principal investigator of this study. but, study Researchers from Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging said they found “no association” between the use of sildenafil and other PDE-5 inhibitors and risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Rishi DesaiAssociate Professor at Harvard Medical School.
Rebecca EdelmeyerThe Alzheimer’s Association’s senior director of scientific initiatives said in an email that it remains unclear whether Viagra and similar drugs affect the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. “Further research and specially designed randomized clinical trials are necessary steps,” she said.
For now, the study results do not suggest that men should start taking Viagra if they don’t need it. However, we know that Viagra is an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction, and men with this problem should see their doctor to discuss both their sexual and cardiovascular health.
“You shouldn’t take Viagra to reduce your risk,” Yasar says. “You should eat healthy. You should exercise. There’s a lot of evidence for that.”
Have questions about human behavior or neuroscience? Email [email protected] I may answer this in a future column.
