Viagra is the brand name for sildenafil, a PDE5 inhibitor drug. This drug has been a revolution in curing male sexual problems, including erectile dysfunction. It is advised to take Viagra on doctor's advice; however, some take it for pleasure. It is important to understand, overdosage, and wrong interaction could be fatal. A doctor is the right person to suggest drugs, and one may not know what he is suffering from. Viagra generic online is a very powerful drug and can affect blood pressure, thus certain health conditions related to the heart may be seriously affected.
Side effects of Viagra for heart condition patients
There are mainly two reactions that can occur with Viagra -
- Can lower blood pressure
- Interaction with nitrates
Viagra is a vasodilator, a drug that dilates blood vessels. Taking Viagra can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 8mmHG. Patients with high blood pressure this decrease is not a problem. Also, in patients taking antihypertensive drugs, however, if someone is having a low bp problem, may suffer from dizziness and fainting. Moreover, this isn't dangerous or life-threatening.
The vasodilator effects of Viagra become fatal when interacted with nitrates. Nitrate drugs are taken by patients with coronary artery disease, and sildenafil interaction with nitrate drugs can be potentially hazardous. Patients taking both Viagra and nitrates can develop severe low pressure (hypotension) and fainting (syncope).
Most of the doctors don't advise Viagra for patients, who are taking nitrates for their coronary artery disease. Also, if a person has taken Viagra in the past 24 hours, he shouldn't be prescribed any nitrate pills.
History of Sildenafil and Fatal accidents
In the late 1990s, when Sildenafil was introduced, there were reports of heart attack and sudden death after taking the drug. However, studies suggested that Viagra is stable in patients not taking nitrates, and dint cause and strokes. Thus, even now men above 40, taking sildenafil should consider taking with a doctor before continuing the drug.
There are patients with severe coronary artery diseases, who take Viagra, but they should not have active ischemia and are not on nitrate drugs. However, it depends on person to person. Therefore patients with severe heart failure, significant aortic stenosis, or low blood pressure measurements can become fatal if Viagra is taken. In such conditions, a slight drop in systolic blood pressure after taking sildenafil can become dangerous.
Drug interactions with Viagra
According to the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, Viagra is safe for men with stable coronary artery disease. Also, they concur, that men taking any kind of nitrates like - isosorbide mononitrate, isosorbide dinitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, erythritol tetranitrate, and amyl nitrate, should not take Viagra.
Advanced technologies and medical excellence, allows severe coronary artery diseases to be treated with angioplasty and stenting, rather than managing with nitrates. Thus, patients who wish to take Viagra must talk with the doctor about alternative therapy to treat their coronary artery disease.
With exceptions, Viagra is safe for the majority of heart patients. It is advised to talk about with the doctor before taking Viagra.