The drug sidenafil meant for erectile dysfunctioning, popularly known, as Viagra helps in boosting up the functioning of the heart among children as well as young adults who have had the Fontan operation which is for correcting single ventricle disease of the heart, according to research report.

What is Fontan operation?
In this case the venous blood is directed directly by doctors to the pulmonary arteries, thus bypassing one’s heart. The procedure happens to be the third surgery in “staged reconstruction” for those children who have single ventricle defects, according to the researchers of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, mentioned in news release from the American Heart Association.

More about the study..
The study comprised 27 children as well as young adults who underwent Fontan operation about an average of 11 years ago. The patients who were more or less 15 years of age were given placebo or about 20 miligrams of sildenafil about three times daily for about 6 weeks. This was subsequently followed up by no drug or placebo. Then the participants were switched onto opposite arm of the study for about another six weeks.

Before as well as after every respective phase of the study researchers assessed the heart function of the participants. They found that much considerable improvement in the myocardial performance index at the time pf sildenafil as compared to placebo phase. It was observed that taking sildenafil may perhaps improve diastolic performance and enhanced heart output.

The findings hold the view that the improvement of ventricular performance can be linked to improved exercise performance of the patient .as well as quality of life, conclude the researchers.

Source: healthfinder.gov

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