Heart failure is caused by poor pumping capacity of the heart muscle. It kills nearly 6 million Americans per year and is particularly prevalent in people with hypertension (high blood pressure). Some research suggests that weight-trained athletes, particularly those who used anabolic steroids, might be more prone to the disease. Steroids allow athletes to lift more weight, which increases the demands on the heart and increases heart size. Drugs similar to Viagra might help physicians develop drugs that prevent heart enlargement and failure. These drugs protect an enzyme called cGMP, which prevents hypertrophy (enlargement) in heart muscle cells.

In animal studies, experimental drugs similar to Viagra reduced abnormal heart growth in rats by 75 percent. The erection-promoting effects of Viagra were discovered by accident during drug trials designed to reduce high blood pressure. It appears that similar drugs may have far-reaching effects on cardiovascular health that go far beyond promoting erections in aging men. (ScienceDaily, September 25, 2009)