Microsoft word - viagra_for_babies.doc

Could Viagra have other uses other than treating sexual-performance problems? Could it help infants and young children survive past the one-year life expectancy for those who have pulmonary hypertension? In Ben Whitford’s article “Babies Who Take Viagra,” found in Newsweek, he describes the small study done on 14 children who all suffered from pulmonary hypertension. In use since 1998, Viagra has found a new market. Over a one year time period, the 14 children were treated with Viagra and tested on performance. At the end of the treatment period, all 14 children were still alive (“unusual for a disease that normally has a 12-month mortality rate of 37 percent” (Whitford)). The children could walk farther and participate in more activities before becoming exhausted. Pfizer, the company that produces Viagra, is working on a large scale trial that would make it possible for the drug to be marketed for infant use. As of now, the long term effects of the drug on young children is unknown, however, doctors and parents believe the benefits out-weigh the risks and are therefore, pushing for FDA approval of the drug to treat pulmonary hypertension in infants. With such a small study done, is it possible to tell whether or not the drug is working in the child’s best interest? Are the side effects the same as those in men who take Viagra? Pulmonary hypertension is a rare, life-threatening lung disorder that causes high blood pressure in the lungs. Blood pressure in the lungs becomes too high and causes symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, and eventually heart failure and death (Warner). A possible reason children develop pulmonary hypertension is the fact that they may have an inability to produce enough nitric oxide (Osterweil). In 1999, studies on Viagra as a drug to treat pulmonary hypertension in adults were occurring. According to the study, the main drug in Viagra, Sildenafil, “increased the effects of inhaled nitric oxide in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension” (“Viagra”). The use of both drugs greatly improved the blood flow through the vessels in the lungs. The first studies on the use of Viagra to treat pulmonary hypertension were done on adults with little emphasis on children. Typically children are treated with nitric oxide which is “delivered through a ventilator; the gas helps the blood vessels in the lungs relax and allows more blood to flow through them” (Osterweil). Once trials on adults began to occur, doctors began small trials on children using Viagra and nitric oxide in combination. Viagra “prevents the release of nitric oxide from blood vessels, allowing the vessels to stay relaxed and blood to flow through them” (Osterweil). The use of “Sildenafil provided significant benefits for children with the lung condition with fewer side effects than existing treatments” (Warner). As of June 13, 2005, the FDA has approved the use of Sildenafil for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is called Revatio. One of the more recent studies done using Sildenafil on children was also a small study, including only 14 children, all of which received varying doses. Researchers believe the drug helps pulmonary hypertension by “relaxing the smooth muscle of blood vessels and increasing blood flow…resulting in a 20% drop in resistance in the pulmonary arteries and improved breathing for these children” (Warner). Again, however, it was still a small study and the long-term effects of the drug are unknown. Immediate side effects of Revatio are similar to those of Viagra and include: headache, flushing, insomnia, and I believe that the article from Newsweek was well researched and provided factual information. Four other articles found on the internet described similar studies all with the same results; Viagra can help infants and young children who have pulmonary hypertension. Although the original article did not seem to have any bias towards the use of Viagra, I believe the articles I found online did. The articles were found at WebMD.com. The internet site is sponsored by Pfizer who is the maker of Viagra. Therefore I believe that the articles posted by the internet site had a slight bias towards the use of the drug. I, however, have no bias towards the drug and how it is used. I think that if the use of the drug can benefit the child without creating other health problems it should be used. Each of the trials that involved children all included small amounts of participants (between 12 and 14 children). This doesn’t provide enough information and trials to obtain an accurate result of how a drug affects individuals. The length of time was usually one year, which I believe is acceptable because the mortality rate of a child with pulmonary hypertension is a year or less. The Newsweek article was accurate in its description of the use of Viagra to treat children with pulmonary hypertension and it can be supported by other drug trials done over the past 7 years. Osterweil, Neil. “Viagra a Breath of Fresh Air for Kids With Rare Lung Disease.” WebMD Medical News. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/34/1728- “Viagra May Help Fight Heart Failure.” http://mywebmd.com/content/article/24/1818- Warner, Jennifer. “Viagra May Treat Rare Lung Disease in Kids.” WebMD Medical News. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/107/108480.htm. July 19, 2005. Whitford, Ben. “Babies Who Take Viagra.” Newsweek. July 25, 2005.

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