Washington : Studies on animals show that Viagra helps in the condition of the enlarged heart caused due to an increase in the blood pressure. Plans are underway to study its effect on human beings in similar conditions. As is known, Viagra is used by men to treat the problem of erectile dysfunction only.

The drug, known generically as sildenafil citrate, blocked and even reversed some of the heart enlargement in mice with blood pressure stress, said researchers led by Dr. David A. Kass of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. A larger than normal heart is a dangerous condition known as hypertrophy, and is a common feature of heart failure that can be extremely fatal. It is a noteworthy point that researchers developed Viagra-the anti-impotence drug while studying it for blood pressure and heart disease.

Viagra is however effective in hypertrophy for just a brief time period. Viagra would need to be effective for a longer duration before it can be used as a treatment in the condition of enlarged heart or hypertrophy. The finding can propel a search for compounds related to sildenafil or Viagra that are longer acting and have similar heart benefits.

Kass said sildenafil blocks the action of an enzyme called PDE5A, which helps break down a molecule known as cyclic GMP. This molecule helps the heart resist stresses and enlargement, researchers said, so protecting it from being broken down allows it to continue the heart-healthy work. Sildenafil has proved useful in erectile dysfunction because PDE5A also is involved in the relaxation of blood vessels in the penis.

Viagra was tested on mice to study its effect in the condition of hypertrophy. Researchers found that the mice receiving sildenafil developed 67 percent less fibrous tissue in their hearts and that the treated mice had smaller hearts with better heart function. In a different experiment, mice that already had enlarged hearts were given sildenafil for two weeks. The researchers said the muscle growth nearly disappeared in those mice, while the hearts continued to enlarge in animals that were not given the drug. Heart function in the mice improved after the treatment.

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