By emilyM

Recently there has been a lot of chatter in the media about how Viagra and other ED meds actually benefit those with breathing problems. In fact, though there have been many ground breaking studies, it’s not even really a new concept.

In August 2004, the Annals of Internal Medicine published a study about the benefits Viagra (and other ED meds like it) offered to patients suffering from pulmonary edema (an abnormal buildup of fluid in the lung sacs causing a shortness in breath) and pulmonary hypertension (unusually high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs).

Over the years, various studies have been conducted to find out exactly how useful Sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra) can be in enhancing circulation of blood to the lungs. This increased circulation may actually allow people to go further, breath easier and even breath more regularly during normal exercise or at amazingly high altitude, and it’s all thanks to the same “stimulating” effect – only it’s blood flow to the lungs that matters this time.

World famous Dr. Peter Hackett, recognized for his extensive research on the effects of high altitude on the body and for his volunteer emergency work at the Mount Everest base camp,  has actually tested out the benefits of Cialis on the breathing capacity of hikers managing to do the hardest task most of us can imagine – climbing Mt. Everest in Nepal. In fact, Dr. Hackett knows just what a challenge that is. In 1981, he joined American Medical Expedition and subsequently became the 111th person to conquer the mountain. Today he is the executive director of the Institute for Altitude Medicine at the Telluride Medical Center in Colorado.

While it’s only natural for mountain climbers to experience some discomfort or shortness of breath at higher altitudes, Dr. Hackett has made it his goal to prevent any more deaths from high altitude illness. Oxygen and altitude are the two main monsters to overcome when climbing high peaks. In the 2004 study mentioned above, Sildenafil was found to reduce pulmonary vascular resistance or, in other words, the resistance blood must overcome to properly circulate, which is one tough battle for many people to fight at increased altitudes.

In May 2010, Dr. Hackett revisited these theories with his own smaller study. According to a recent article, about 1/3 of all climbers  have blood vessels which are affected by high altitude more severely than others. This happens because the blood vessels in the lungs constrict severely, which makes breathing extremely difficult.

So here is where Viagra can help make a miraculous step in the right direction. When the blood vessels open back up in response to Sildenafil, blood can more easily reach the lungs. In fact, in 2005 the FDA agreed and approved Sildenafil Citrate (in a product form called Revatio) for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. But the world renowned Dr. Hackett wanted to see the results for himself and also see if these amazing pulmonary benefits can extend to those at risk from high altitude pressure.

His new mini-study involved having 4 climbers take Cialis (since it has a similar effect as Viagra but can last up to 36 hours) with all 4 having dramatically improved results when they climbed the southeast ridge. For one climber, the results were extreme as he was able to cut his previous time of 9 hours to less than 4 hours!

Recently, a study published in the May 18th New England Journal of Medicine, found that patients suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive disease that causes scarring of the lungs, might also benefit from Viagra.

It seems the medical benefits of a drug once intended solely for enhancing mens’ sex lives worldwide, may have more of an impact than anyone ever thought.