Viagra may help children with heart defects

Underdeveloped heart chambers is a rare, but serious defect in children. This defect can be fatal in some children. Recent studies have shown that a medication that a lot of men throughout the world use, can also be used to treat these heart problems in children.

This medication is called sildenafil, although the more common, recognized name is Viagra. So why should a medicine that is used to help treat erectile dysfunction in men also treat heart defects in children?

The heart works in a very meticulous way. It has 4 chambers pumping deoxygenated blood in one direction through all 4 valves, resulting in oxygenated blood coming out of the valves supplying the rest of the body with the oxygen needed for life.

When a child has a single ventricle defect, it makes it difficult for the heart to function properly and supply oxygen to the blood. An underdeveloped heart is also another defect that can prevent the correct flow of oxygen through the ventricles. The underdeveloped left side forces the blood returning from the lungs to flow through an opening in the wall separating the right and left atrium.

Children with these defects usually go through a series of operations, the third being the Fontan operation. In this system, blood is redirected to the pulmonary arteries, bypassing the heart and greatly improving the oxygenation of blood.

If you've had this surgery for a single-ventricle defect, you can live a relatively normal life. The only thing that would be altered is the ability to exercise rigorously. Although, new studies have shown that the use of sildenafil will help you achieve your full exercise ability.

In a study, 28 children and young adults who had the operation were given the sildenafil pill and the other half were given a placebo pill. The results of this study show that the half which received the sildenafil showed significant improvements in heart condition and performance.

Sildenafil works by directly improving the squeeze of the heart muscle making it easier for oxygenated blood to be delivered throughout the body.

This represents great promise for patients with single-ventricle heart disease. Enhanced heart performance can contribute to a greater ability to exercise and a general improvement of the quality of life.