XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
 Latest Research
 Cancer
 Psychiatry
 Genetics
 Surgery
 Aging
 Ophthalmology
  Cornea
  Cataract
  Retina
 Gynaecology
 Neurosciences
 Pharmacology
 Cardiology
 Obstetrics
 Infectious Diseases
 Respiratory Medicine
 Pathology
 Endocrinology
 Immunology
 Nephrology
 Gastroenterology
 Biotechnology
 Radiology
 Dermatology
 Microbiology
 Haematology
 Dental
 ENT
 Environment
 Embryology
 Orthopedics
 Metabolism
 Anaethesia
 Paediatrics
 Public Health
 Urology
 Musculoskeletal
 Clinical Trials
 Physiology
 Biochemistry
 Cytology
 Traumatology
 Rheumatology
 
 Medical News
 Health
 Opinion
 Healthcare
 Professionals
 Launch
 Awards & Prizes
 
 Careers
 Medical
 Nursing
 Dental
 
 Special Topics
 Euthanasia
 Ethics
 Evolution
 Odd Medical News
 Feature
 
 World News
 Tsunami
 Epidemics
 Climate
 Business
 
 India
Search

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 12:32:53 PM

British Journal of Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology Channel
subscribe to Ophthalmology newsletter

Latest Research : Ophthalmology

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Sudden severe loss of vision linked with impotency drugs
Jan 17, 2006 - 7:09:00 PM, Reviewed by: Dr. Rashmi Yadav

The drugs may heighten the risk of NAION in those with vascular disease, who are already more susceptible.

 
Viagra and Cialis, the drugs used to treat impotency, may be associated with an increased risk of optic nerve damage in men with a history of heart attack or high blood pressure, suggests a small study in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Healthcare professionals prescribing these drugs should warn patients of the potential risk, say the authors.

The findings are based on 76 men attending one US specialist eye clinic. Half the men had optic nerve damage, diagnosed as non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

NAION is the most common form of optic nerve damage in older US adults, with up to 6000 people developing the condition every year. One in four will go on to develop it in both eyes.

The other half, who were randomly selected and did not have the condition, were used as a comparison group.

All the patients were asked about their lifestyle, including smoking and alcohol intake, whether they had been diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure and prescribed treatment for these conditions. They were also asked if they had been prescribed Viagra and Cialis for erectile difficulties.

The two groups were similar in terms of age, race, and lifestyle, and men with optic nerve damage were no more likely to have taken the impotency drugs than men in the comparison group.

But men who had had a heart attack were 10 times more likely to have optic nerve damage if they had taken Viagra or Cialis before their diagnosis.

Men with high blood pressure were also more likely to have optic nerve damage if they had taken these drugs, although this was not statistically significant.

The authors caution that their study is small, but suggest that the drugs may reduce the blood flow to the anterior optic nerve, resulting in tissue damage. The drugs may heighten the risk of NAION in those with vascular disease, who are already more susceptible, they explain.

Any patient who has endured a sudden severe loss of vision, and is prescribed Viagra or Cialis, should inform their healthcare practitioner first, say the authors.

An accompanying editorial points out that some patients with impaired eyesight as a result of NAION have reportedly decided to sue Pfizer, the manufacturers of Viagra.

The editorial goes on to say that Pfizer have stated that there were no reports of NAION in the trials of the drug carried out before it was licensed, and that a greater number of cases related to this type of drug would have been reported by now if the association was anything other than coincidental.

But the editorial says that doctors may not be asking patients diagnosed with NAION whether they take Viagra or Cialis.

 

- The study appears in the British Journal of Ophthalmology 2006; 90: 154-57
 

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/

 
Subscribe to Ophthalmology Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 

Contact: Emma Dickinson
[email protected]
44-20-7383-6529
BMJ Specialty Journals


Related Ophthalmology News

Master Proteins Dictate Retinal Differentiation Timetable
Yellow plant pigments lutein and zeaxanthin reduce risk of age-related macular degeneration
Objective way to diagnose diseases of colour perception
Onchocerciasis treatment reduces prevalence and intensity by 38%
Antioxidants may slow retinal degeneration
Hormone Therapy Does Not Affect Age-Related Vision Loss
Eating Fish Protects Against Macular Degeneration
Research Highlights Risk Factors For Age-Related Vision Loss
How Thalamic Neurons Grab Your Attention
FDA approves ranibizumab for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us