Viagra also protects lungs, says report

German scientists have found Viagra, besides curing impotence, also can protect mountaineers from developing lung problems at high altitudes.

German scientists have found Viagra, besides curing impotence, also can protect mountaineers from developing lung problems at high altitudes.The drug helps fight pulmonary hypertension caused by a lack of oxygen, the BBC reported Wednesday quoting scientists at the University of Geissen in Germany.The researchers’ study, which appears in the Annals of Internal Medicine, says Viagra causes more blood to be distributed through the lung’s blood vessels.In patients with pulmonary hypertension, the lung’s blood vessels constrict, making the heart work harder.It is estimated approximately 100,000 people are affected by the condition in the United States and Europe.The researchers used climbers as “guinea pigs” to test how effective Viagra was in relieving pulmonary hypertension. They were tested at both sea level and at the base camp on Mount Everest in Nepal. (Source: United Press International, August 2004)