More Study Needed on Risks of Long-Term Use of Viagra, Researchers Say

Not enough has been done to study the risks of long-term use of Viagra, the blockbuster little blue pill taken by millions of men to treat problems associated with erectile dysfunction, Canadian researchers say.

Scientists from the Ottawa Health Research Institute said while dozens of medical studies have been done to determine side effects and other problems linked to Viagra (also known as sildenafil), few if any examined users after 12 weeks.

Short-term studies have found that men taking Viagra are 56 percent more likely to develop side effects including hearing loss, headache, and breathing difficulties compared to men given inactive placebo pills. Also, the side effects risks increase as the doses of Viagra rose, studies have said.

The Canadian researchers said more extensive studies are needed to look at the effects of long-term Viagra use.

“More efforts should be directed toward achieving an optimal balance between the degree of effectiveness and safety of sildenafil use in men with erectile dysfunction,” they wrote, according to a Reuters news report.

It may be that the current Viagra dosing should be adjusted to reduce the risks of long-term injury and side effects, the researchers said.

FDA Warns of Viagra Side Effects

In May, the Food and Drug Administration ordered changes to Viagra’s labeling to highlight the risk of sudden hearing loss in men taking the drug. The FDA also forced the makers of other erectile dysfunction drugs Cialis (tadalafil) and Levitra (vardenadil) to carry the same warnings.

The FDA said it had received 29 reports of sudden hearing loss in users of the drugs. Some men also reported suffering vertigo, dizziness, and tinnitus along with the hearing loss, the FDA said.

The Canadian research urging more long-term study of Viagra side effects is published in the October 2009 issue of the medical journal Urology.

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