2024-02-07 08:14:53
A British study linked medications used to treat erectile dysfunction to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers participating in the study, the results of which were published on Monday in the journal Neurology, explained that erectile dysfunction medications work to expand blood vessels to allow more blood flow, and were developed for the first time to treat high blood pressure.
The study indicated that Alzheimer’s is a disorder in the brain resulting from deposits of some proteins, which contribute to the shrinkage and death of some cells in the brain. Alzheimer’s is considered the most common cause of dementia. It is a gradual deterioration in memory, thinking ability, behavioral and social skills, and these changes can affect a person’s ability to perform his functions.
The study focused on examining the possible relationship between erectile dysfunction medications, such as Viagra, and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. These medications help improve blood flow to the brain, which reduces the accumulation of amyloid protein plaques, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
The study included 269,725 male participants, with an average age of 59 years, who were newly diagnosed with erectile dysfunction.
The participants did not have any problems with memory or thinking at the beginning of the study, and after following them for an average of 5 years, the study compared the condition of 55 percent of the participants taking erectile dysfunction medications with 45 percent of those who did not take those medications. During the study, 1,119 patients were infected with erectile dysfunction. A person with Alzheimer’s disease on both sides.
After accounting for other factors that can affect the rate of Alzheimer’s disease, such as: age, smoking, and alcohol consumption, the researchers found that people who took erectile dysfunction medications were 18 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, compared to people who did not take these medications.
The association was strongest among those who had the highest number of prescriptions issued during the study period.
For her part, Dr. Ruth Brower, the lead researcher of the study from University College London in the United Kingdom, said: “These results are encouraging and require further research.”
She added on the university’s website: “Although we are making progress in new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, which work to remove amyloid plaques in the brain for those in the early stages of the disease, we urgently need treatments that can prevent or delay the progression of the disease.”
She continued, “More research is needed to confirm these results, learn more about the potential benefits and mechanisms of these medications, consider the ideal dose, and determine whether these results apply to women as well.”
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