Doctors: 'Viagra can help infants with lung problems'

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The Viagra drug that is used to treat erectile dysfunction in men also seemed to work well for women with depression problems. Now the same drug also seems to help children born with pulmonary hypertension problem.

Dr. Gul Dadlani of All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida told BayNews9.com that sildenafil, the generic name, is a wonder drug for some children with pulmonary hypertension symptom.

The pulmonary hypertension problem restricts the blood flow in the lung. When the blood flows through the lung, the arteries in the lung becomes constricted (tightened).

Dadlani told BayNews9.com:

With Viagra therapy, it relaxes those vessels and allows more blood flow to go to the lungs and improves the symptoms for the patient.

Dadlani added the drug doesn’t have the same effect it has on the men; it just helps the blood flow in the lungs.

One mother, whose child was given this drug, said it saved her son’s life despite having doubts at first.

Cherish Nero told the BayNews9: "The first thought in my mind was, 'What else is it going to do for him besides work as a pulmonary dilator?"

However. further studies need to be done to make sure the drug doesn’t pose long term risks and harmful side effects.

The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in 2006 had reported that even a single dose of sildenafil provides benefits to children when they are withdrawn from a respirator.