Viagra: Not the "Miracle Pill" We Thought It Was


The impotency drugs Viagra and Cialis may damage heart patients' eyes, researchers have warned.

Men who had had a heart attack were ten times more likely to have optic nerve damage if they had taken either drug before their diagnosis, according to a study of 76 patients.

A similar link was found to patients who had high blood pressure, although this was not statistically significant.

The researchers said that although the study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, is small, the drugs may reduce the blood flow to the anterior optic nerve, resulting in tissue damage.

Any patient who has endured a sudden severe loss of vision, and is prescribed Viagra or Cialis, should tell their doctor first, said ophthalmologist Dr Gerald McGwin, of Alabama University.

All the patients in the study were asked about their lifestyle, including smoking and alcohol intake, whether they had been diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure and prescribed treatment for these conditions.

Why I am writing about this on my blog? Many doctors today pass out pills like candy and Viagra is one of those drugs that has been given out quite freely. It is a new drug so we don't have studies revealing the long-term consequences of taking it.

When the birth control pill came out in the 60's no one knew about its long-term consequences. The average person had no idea it was an abortifacient. Books came out glorifying the pill -- pointing out all the advantages of taking it. A woman now had choices and could be her own person. She could enjoy intercourse without the "worry" of pregnancy. Families no longer had to struggle financially due to the "burden" of supporting large families. It was even reported that the pill prevented various types of cancer and was good for your body. It was the "miracle" pill of the milleniun! We all know how deceptive those promises were.

Viagra and Cialis are now touted as the new "miracle" pills for men. They promise a wonderful sex life with unlimited bliss. Now we're learning something they didn't really want us to know -- they can result in optic nerve damage in men who have heart problems and possibly to those who have had high blood pressure as well. I wonder what else we will learn about this "miracle pill" as time goes by and more research is conducted?

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