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drug_recall viagraViagra heart disease patients may be at an increased risk of developing serious vision problems, according to some 50 reports received by the FDA in May 2005. Approximately 40 to 50 Viagra users in the United States have developed a condition called NAION, or nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy, which causes vision loss and blindness. Of these cases that are currently under FDA review, the majority of the patients also have one or more of the following conditions: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease.
Viagra heart disease patients are thought by some experts to be at an increased risk of developing NAION when taking this popular impotency drug. Viagra (Sildenafil citrate) was approved by the FDA in 1998 to treat adult males with erectile dysfunction. Since its approval, Viagra has been taken by an estimated 23 million men around the world. In addition to potential vision risks posed to Viagra heart disease patients, experts have long cautioned Viagra heart disease patients about other risks posed by their Viagra use.
The use of Viagra allows men to respond to sexual stimulation by targeting the nerves which act on the smooth muscles regulating blood flow to the penis. This same action caused by Viagra also increases sympathetic nerve activity. This causes the blood vessels to constrict; a potentially deadly side effect for Viagra heart disease patients. For years, there have been numerous reports of Viagra users who have suffered heart attack, heart arrhythmia, and even death as a result of this Viagra side effect. This risk is even greater for Viagra heart disease patients who are already vulnerable to these complications.
In addition to these fatal risks, Viagra heart disease patients face additional risks. Nitrate drugs, particularly nitroglycerine, are often prescribed to patients with heart disease. Viagra potentates the effects of nitrate drugs and can lead to dangerously low blood pressure. A number of Viagra heart disease patients have died because of the results of the drug interaction between Viagra and nitrates. The American Heart Association states that Viagra should never be prescribed to heart disease patients currently receiving any form of nitrate therapy. Any person, who develops angina (chest) pain within 24 hours of taking Viagra, should not be given any form of nitrate therapy for their condition.
Viagra heart attack patients may now be at even greater risk. A number of those who have developed NAION and severe vision problems have been Viagra heart disease patients. NAION is a condition that restricts the blood flow though the optic nerve to the eyes, which can lead to vision loss and blindness. Viagra heart disease patients may be at an increased risk of developing NAION because of their condition, which also causes blood vessel constriction.
Litigation against Pfizer (Viagra’s maker) is already being filed on behalf of Viagra users who have developed NAION and other serious Viagra side effects. If you would like to learn more about Viagra heart disease risks and side effects, you may wish to speak with your doctor in greater detail. If you or a loved one has suffered because of Viagra, you may wish to discover your legal rights and options.
Several high profile groups around the country, including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) based in Los Angeles, CA are calling on Pfizer to remove advertising for Viagra that the groups say promotes unsafe activity.
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Canada has issued an advisory regarding the erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, alerting patients to “seek immediate medical attention” if they experience sudden vision loss or other vision-related problems when taking the medication...
Republic Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, says he is “troubled” by how long it is taking the FDA to change Viagra labeling to include a possible link to vision loss that has been reported to the agency in 38 ...