Men who regularly take drugs for erectile dysfunction are at greater risk of developing eye conditions.
- Retinal detachment affects around 1 in 10,000 people each year according to the French Health Insurance.
- The study authors do not advise men to stop taking erectile dysfunction drugs but not to exceed one pill a day.
In men, from the age of 50, erectile dysfunction may be more frequent depending on theHealth Insurance. These correspond to a lasting reduction in the quality of erections and are generally linked to the person’s physical and/or psychological state of health. Thus, to avoid them, some patients opt for taking medication: pills that help restore impaired erectile function by increasing blood flow to the penis.
85% chance of developing a serious eye condition
But researchers from the University of British Columbia in Canada warn in a study published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology : regular intake of these erectile dysfunction medications may have ocular consequences. According to them, this practice would increase by 85% the risk of developing serious eye conditions, and more particularly three of them.
Retinal detachment or ischemic optic neuropathy
The first eye condition that patients may suffer from is a severe retinal detachment which is due to the presence of a small pocket of fluid located under the retina. It is therefore unstuck and no longer works. Without prompt treatment, the detachment continues. This is a surgical emergency. The second condition analyzed by the researchers is retinal vascular occlusion, i.e. a sudden slowing of venous circulation in the retina. Finally, the last is ischemic optic neuropathy, a damage to the optic nerve caused by obstruction of its blood supply.
Of the 213,000 patients analyzed…
To arrive at these results, the scientists analyzed data from 213,000 American men aged 60 and over. Before taking these treatments regularly, they had never suffered from eye problems. To avoid any error, the researchers excluded from their study other parameters that could affect sight, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease.
…about 15 in 10,000 people are at risk for a disease
“Although we found a high risk, the risk in absolute terms is not very significantexplains Mahyar Etminan, one of the authors. We report that approximately 15 out of 10,000 patients (may be affected by an eye condition). However, given that in the United States approximately 20 million prescriptions are issued for these drugs each month, even a small risk could translate into a significant number of men potentially facing these events.. That’s why we wanted to let it be known that if you have any visual deficits or changes when taking these medications, be sure to check and see an eye doctor.“.
Effects on blood flow throughout the body
The scientists explain their results by the fact that these treatments can restrict blood supply to other parts of the body…”These drugs treat erectile dysfunction by improving blood flow, but we know they can also impede blood flow to other parts of the body.continues Mahyar Etminan in the DailyMail. Although our study does not prove the causal relationship, there is a mechanism by which these drugs could possibly cause these problems.”.
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