So, here’s the lowdown: if you’re a guy with heart issues and you’re popping Viagra with your chest pain meds (nitrates), you might want to rethink that combo. A recent study spilt the beans in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, showing that mixing these two can up your chances of kicking the bucket early.
The study, done with a bunch of Swedish men who’ve had heart troubles before, found that those playing the dangerous game of nitrates and Viagra (plus its buddies Levitra and Cialis) had a higher risk of biting the dust. Not just that – they also had a greater chance of heart failure, heart attack, and needing some procedure to boost blood flow to the heart compared to those just on nitrates.
Dr. Daniel Peter Andersson, the big cheese in the study, pointed out that more guys with heart problems are asking for ED drugs. But, surprise, surprise, combining them with nitrates could spell trouble for your health.
The study included guys who’d been through heart attacks or had arteries unclogged (fancy term: percutaneous coronary intervention). The ones mixing nitrates and ED drugs had a 39% higher risk of meeting their maker, a 72% higher chance of a heart attack, a 67% bump in heart failure risk, and a whopping 95% higher likelihood of needing a heart-related procedure.
Mixing nitrates and ED drugs is like playing with fire. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been waving red flags, warning that Viagra might mess with nitrates found in some meds, potentially nosediving your blood pressure to scary levels. And guess who often takes nitrates? Folks dealing with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease – talk about a tricky cocktail.
Dr Robert Kloner, the brainiac at the Cardiovascular Research Institute, is clear – if you’re on nitrates, just stay away from PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra. It’s a big no-no.
Here’s the scoop on why this mix can be a health hazard. The study points out that these guys were already in the danger zone – heart attacks, artery procedures, you name it. So, if you’re thinking of mixing these meds, Dr. Kloner says you better chat it out with your doctor first.
The study even hinted that fewer heart issues popped up if you waited a bit after taking the ED drugs. Dr. Kloner’s advice? If you’re on nitrates but itching to try Viagra for your ED, spill the beans to your doctor. There are other ways to deal with chest pain, and maybe you don’t need nitrates anymore if your ticker’s been behaving.
In an extra tidbit, Dr. Glenn N. Levine said in the study’s side notes that it’s not the end of the world for guys with heart disease and ED. If your angina is on the mild side, you can still rock those ED meds – just not if you’re in a severe relationship with chronic nitrate therapy. That’s like mixing oil and water – not a good idea.
So, here’s the takeaway: If you’ve got heart troubles, think twice before playing pharmacist with Viagra and nitrates. It might just save you a trip to the pearly gates.