Contrary to popular perception, Viagra is not only needed to get men performing in bed, but it can also be a life-saving medicine. Take the case of two-year-old Oliver Sherwood, who is suffering from pulmonary hypertension (PH) and needs Viagra four times a day just to stay alive.
Viagra is chemically sildenafil and is best known for treating erectile dysfunction. The drug was initially marketed as a high blood pressure and angina relieving medication, but quickly acquired superstar status because of its ability to treat erectile dysfunction in a satisfactory manner.
Produced by Pfizer , the drug is a blockbuster in this category. While other beneficial effects have been attributed to Viagra, it continues to be the number one drug in the ED category.
However as demonstrated by the present case, Viagra need not be a drug for pleasure alone.
Pulmonary hypertension is a rare condition that affects the heart and lungs and is responsible for chronic blood pressure. Generally people affected by the condition can die within two years, but a strict medication regime can keep them alive for longer.
Oliver's mother Sarah Sherwood told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph that the little blue pills were keeping her son alive, "Viagra is an expensive drug but it's actually one of the cheapest to treat PH. When he started taking it the change was fantastic - I had my little boy back."
However other drugs like Epoprostenol and Iloprost are being reviewed by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence. If the review finds that they are too expensive then only Viagra will continue to be offered on the NHS.
In PH, Viagra increases the blood flow and improves circulation in veins and capillaries thus reducing high blood pressure.
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