Research shows Erectile Dysfunction meds help children with heart disease.

Who would have thought that an erectile dysfunction drug can actually help children with certain types of heart problems, such as single-ventricle congenital heart disease? The issue is the hearts ability to pump blood in patients with single ventricle congenital heart disease. The drug sildenafil was used in clinical studies by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and showed significant improvements.

Researchers randomly selected 28 children and young adults to receive either sildenafil or placebo’s three times a day for six weeks at which time they were switched for an opposite treatment program.

Children that had undergone the Fontan operation were studied. The Fontan operation redirects systemic venous blood directly to the pulmonary arteries. This is the third operation which is required for single-ventricle heart defects.

The researchers, which presented their findings at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, found significant heart performance with these children and young adults. They had hypothesized that sildenafil could help by improving the squeeze of the heart muscle allowing a better filling of the heart. This treatment could lead to more studies and a future treatment options.

Will being able to increase exercise performance in children and young adults lead to a better quality of life? The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s pediatric cardiologist David J. Goldberg, MD. would agree.