The medication in question, sildenafil, is commonly used to treat pulmonary hypertension and is widely prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction. The drug works by blocking the enzymes that regulate the contraction of the vascular smooth muscle cells.
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a weakening or bulging in the lower aorta section that transports blood from the heart to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs. If a dissection occurs (a tear in the inner layer of the large blood vessel), it can lead to additional damage to the artery wall.
An abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture is a medical emergency that only approximately 20% of patients survive. These types of aneurysms occur more frequently in men with risk factors, including a family history of the condition, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, emphysema, and obesity.
The study published in the journal of the American Heart Association explored the impact of the progression of an abdominal aortic aneurysm when sildenafil was ingested in mice.
Small abdominal aortic aneurysms were surgically induced in the mice, and the size of their aortas was monitored. Aortic aneurysms were formed seven days after the surgery, and the mice were then randomly assigned to two groups for four weeks.
Half of the mice were given sildenafil diluted in water daily for four weeks, and the second group of mice received water that did not contain sildenafil.
After four weeks, the mice receiving sildenafil had larger abdominal aortic aneurysms that were about 37% wider on average. They also had approximately 50% more degradation or weakening of the elastic fibers in the abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Study author Chen Yan Ph.D. said, “Our study suggests that sildenafil aggravated the progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms likely through disrupting the smooth muscle cells’ ability to contract and function properly. These findings may raise caution about prescribing PDE5 inhibitors like sildenafil for patients who have existing aortic aneurysmal lesions. Clinical studies and other types of animal models of abdominal aortic aneurysm may be warranted to study this further.”
A Growing Concern
Men’s health is a growing concern among many as they age. It is vital to know what medications can be dangerous if you have pre-existing conditions, so studies such as this are essential in helping physicians prescribe the proper medications to their clients.
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