After reviewing 49 published studies, a team of scientists have concluded that while Viagra is associated with some side effects, there is still a lack of data about the possibility of the medication causing long-term harm.
Dr. Alexander Tsertsvadze of the Ottawa Health Institute in Canada and his colleagues said that they were concerned that the studies reviewed did not follow patients up for longer than 12 weeks and said that there needed to be a better balance between ascertaining the effectiveness of the drugs and the long-term effects.
They said that from the data there was, it seemed that men taking the medication as opposed to a placebo were 56% more likely to experience side effects. These are generally mild, with the most common including headaches, facial flushing, difficulty breathing and vision problems.
Writing in this month’s edition of the journal Urology, they said that it would be worthwhile to consider different methods to lessen the likelihood of patients experiencing side effects, such as a flexible dosing regimen.
At the moment millions of men take Viagra around the world with few problems. It is one of the best selling drugs on the market for treating erectile dysfunction.