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| Viagra 'aids muscular dystrophy' | Viagra 'aids muscular dystrophy' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The anti-impotence drug Viagra may help save people with muscular dystrophy from an early death, a study suggests. | The anti-impotence drug Viagra may help save people with muscular dystrophy from an early death, a study suggests. |
| Researchers found the way the drug works to combat impotence may also help ward off heart failure in muscular dystrophy patients. | Researchers found the way the drug works to combat impotence may also help ward off heart failure in muscular dystrophy patients. |
| Tests on mice with a version of the disease showed the drug helped keep their hearts working well. | Tests on mice with a version of the disease showed the drug helped keep their hearts working well. |
| The Montreal Heart Institute study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. | The Montreal Heart Institute study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. |
| It is important to remember that benefits seen in animals do not always translate into human medicine Dr Marita PohlschmidtMuscular Dystrophy Campaign | It is important to remember that benefits seen in animals do not always translate into human medicine Dr Marita PohlschmidtMuscular Dystrophy Campaign |
| Muscular dystrophy is a genetic condition which affects boys, and causes wasting of the muscles. | Muscular dystrophy is a genetic condition which affects boys, and causes wasting of the muscles. |
| People with the condition are at a higher risk of heart failure due to a weakening of the muscles which keep the organ pumping strongly. | People with the condition are at a higher risk of heart failure due to a weakening of the muscles which keep the organ pumping strongly. |
| For this reason, many people with muscular dystrophy die in early life, often in their 20s or 30s. | For this reason, many people with muscular dystrophy die in early life, often in their 20s or 30s. |
| Blood flow | Blood flow |
| The Montreal team found that Viagra - known technically as sildenafil - prevents the loss of a molecule, cGMP, which plays a key role in keeping blood vessels dilated. | The Montreal team found that Viagra - known technically as sildenafil - prevents the loss of a molecule, cGMP, which plays a key role in keeping blood vessels dilated. |
| In the penis, this increases blood flow, and helps to combat impotence. | In the penis, this increases blood flow, and helps to combat impotence. |
| But in the heart it helps to ensure the organ itself receives a proper supply of blood, and remains healthy and strong. | |
| With the heart in a strong condition, it is more able to withstand the impact of weakening muscle cells caused by muscular dystrophy. | With the heart in a strong condition, it is more able to withstand the impact of weakening muscle cells caused by muscular dystrophy. |
| Viagra works by blocking an enzyme, PDE5, which breaks down cGMP. | Viagra works by blocking an enzyme, PDE5, which breaks down cGMP. |
| The researchers also inserted a gene that increased cGMP production in the mice's heart cells, and found that this helped the animals to maintain normal cardiac function. | The researchers also inserted a gene that increased cGMP production in the mice's heart cells, and found that this helped the animals to maintain normal cardiac function. |
| Dr Marita Pohlschmidt, director of research at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, said the research was interesting. | Dr Marita Pohlschmidt, director of research at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, said the research was interesting. |
| However, she added: "It is important to remember that benefits seen in animals do not always translate into human medicine. | However, she added: "It is important to remember that benefits seen in animals do not always translate into human medicine. |
| "Although this is promising, it is still very early days and we look forward to further research that will demonstrate the impact it might have for people with muscular dystrophy." | "Although this is promising, it is still very early days and we look forward to further research that will demonstrate the impact it might have for people with muscular dystrophy." |