Monday November 9 5:44 PM ET

Viagra appears safe for dialysis patients

NEW YORK, Nov 09 (Reuters Health) -- Viagra may be safely be used to treat erectile dysfunction in men with kidney failure who require dialysis, a small, preliminary study suggests. The results were presented recently at the American Society for Nephrology meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Erectile dysfunction and diminished fertility occur in about 50% of men on dialysis, and the problem usually worsens over time, reported Dr. Henry R. Paul of the State University of New York in Brooklyn. In an interview with Reuters Health, Paul noted that his dialysis patients began asking for sildenafil (Viagra).

Nine patients between the ages of 41 and 59 received 50 milligram tablets of sildenafil during a 3-week period. The men reported a 60% increase in sexual satisfaction, with firmer erections than they were previously able to achieve, Paul reported. Erections lasted an average of 45 minutes, and no adverse effects occurred in any of the patients. The drug's effect lasted for 24 to 48 hours.

The sildenafil was dispensed one tablet at a time in this pilot study, Paul noted.

``It definitely should not be prescribed daily,'' he said. ''But once a week should be safe.'' Patients on dialysis should be screened carefully for the presence of cardiovascular disease, in whom the drug might be contraindicated, Paul cautioned.

A larger study is needed to confirm the results of this preliminary study, the researchers conclude.

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