Viagra to treat Alzheimer’s?

KathyF1

I’ve heard twice now on the news of the benefit of Viagra to help prevent Alzheimer’s. I believe they also said they believe it can slow progression. Has anyone wise heard this?

KathyF1

Meant to say has anyone ELSE heard this!

Joydean

Hi Kathy, I’m not so “wise “ (couldn’t resist!), but I have also been hearing about the viagra . It doesn’t stop dementia but what I heard on the news is it will just help slow it down. They said it works for women also. Don’t know how much truth is there.

M1

Viagra and other similar drugs (phosphodiesterase inhibitors) are blood vessel dilators that were originally researched for heart failure and are still used for a fairly rare condition called pulmonary hypertension.  When they were studied for heart failure, at the end of the study the male patients who got the real drug didn't want to turn in their extra pills.  That's where this discovery of their efficacy for erectile dysfunction came from.  So they promote blood flow in general.  I'd be surprised if efficacy for dementia holds up in further research, but you never know.

Larrytherunner

I have a lot of problems with the Cleveland Clinic study on Viagra mentioned below. You would assume that men who take Viagra late in life are sexually active. From what I have read, men who are sexually active late in life, when compared to men who are not sexually active, are on average, less likely to be overweight or obese, more likely to exercise regularly and be physically fit, and less likely to have diabetes or pre-diabetes. Men with these same attributes are also less likely on average to develop Alzheimers. It doesn't provide evidence that Viagra had something to do with it.

Still it is possible that this drug could provide some benefit. The problem is that this drug is now generic and is made by a lot of different companies. Proving that it works would require an expensive FDA clinic trial, and no pharmaceutical company would likely be willing to pay. It is usually left up the US government institutions and other governments around the world to trial generics and they sponsor relative few trials.

Trials would also have to determine the dosage and number of doses taken a day. Viagra has a relatively short half of 4 hours so it would probably have to be taken at least twice a day

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/viagra-associated-reduced-risk-alzheimers-disease

MN Chickadee

M1 how did viagra fare for the heart failure study? Is it prescribed for non ED issues or just that one rare condition?