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...just met a drug named Viagra

© Michael Woo-Ming

What is flying off shelves faster than beanie babies, driving urologists nuts, and has been the butt of jokes by late night talk show hosts? Why it's Viagra, the so-called wonder drug used to treat impotence. Since everyone is talking about it, I guess I'll throw my two cents in...

Viagra, or sildenafil, acts as a smooth muscle relaxant enhancing the release of nitrous oxide, thereby letting vasodilation occur, allowing more blood flow to the penis, causing an erection. Who should not take Viagra? Women, although it has been making the rounds as a "sexual stimulant" in some circles for some reasons. Men who are on nitrates should also NOT take Viagra, because it may dangerously lower your blood pressure too much.

Side effects are rare, but can include headaches, upset stomach, and diarrhea. It may also temporarily cause a bluish haze of your vision, and there has been talk by ophthamologists that people who have macular degeneration should also not take viagra. Stay tuned. It was also recently reported that six deaths occurred with patients who were on Viagra. No causal factor has been established yet.

So what to do? Well, as in anything I discuss, talk with your doctor first and see if Viagra will work for you or your significant other's impotence problem. I haven't seen so much hype for a drug since, well, Redux, and the Phen-Fen craze. And we all know what happened with that.

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