Hard to Swallow

0 Comments | Family Practice News, Feb 15, 2000 | by Mary Jo M. Dales

Those who have jokingly proposed adding Viagra to the water supply now have medical evidence to back up their recommendation. Viagra was used successfully to relax the smooth muscles of the esophageal valve in patients with achalasia. In a study reported in the February issue of Gas-troenterology, seven patients given 50 mg of Viagra dissolved in water had significant relaxation of the esophageal valve, compared with seven patients given a placebo in water.

The effects peaked at 15-20 minutes after taking Viagra, after which patients presumably faced the dilemma of choosing between eating a good meal or engaging in the "fairly frantic sexual intercourse" alluded to above.