It is 10 years since Viagra was first prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction in the UK and despite the active ingredient (sildenafil) almost never making it as a medicine, it is now turning out to be a bit of a wonder drug with potential new applications being investigated on a continual basis.
Sildenafil was originally developed as a potential treatment for angina but initial trial results were very disappointing. The drug seemed to have little impact on the condition and there were more effective competitors on the market. During one of the patient trials, a doctor discovered that along with other side effects such as indigestion and back pain, this new drug allowed previously impotent men to achieve erections! This was a potentially very exciting breakthrough so it was immediately reported to Pfizer – the drug’s patent holder. Five years later the drug was approved, not for treating angina but for erectile dysfunction.
Since the launch in 1997, Viagra has been used by an estimated 30 million men worldwide and despite the emergence of competing products, it remains the top choice for men with ED who use the services of The Online Clinic.
Viagra is now being tested for the following applications: relief of jet lag symptoms; treating stroke victims in the immediate recovery phase; helping underweight babies develop in the womb; and treatment of heart failure patients. We intend to bring you news of these trials as soon as we have some more information, so please come back in the next few weeks to see if there have been any developments.