Sildenafil increases ocular perfusion.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to determine whether visual system responses to sildenafil accompany shifts in ocular perfusion. The human choroid, which supports the metabolic function of the outer retina, is an erectile tissue, analogous in many respects to the corpus cavenosum.


METHODS
Right eyes of 12 normal adults were evaluated before and 2 h after 50 mg oral dose of sildenafil. Pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF), intraocular pressure (IOP), Heidelberg retinal flowmetry (HRT), 4.26 cpd, 7.5 Hz temporally-modulated contrast sensitivity (CS), full-threshold C-20 frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry, and blood pressure (BP) were measured.


RESULTS
POBF (+29.4%; p > 0.016) and CS (+33.6%; p > 0.014%) increased within 110 (+/-7.7) minutes after sildenafil administration. No subject demonstrated decreases in either variable. HRF flow values increase among 7 of the 9 eyes producing stable scans (+8.2%; p > 0.1). FDT values did not change significantly, nor did systemic pulse amplitude or mean IOP.


CONCLUSIONS
Since IOP and systemic pulse amplitude both remained stable after sildenafil administration, while POBF values increased to a level nearly one third greater than baseline. It appears sildenafil can induce intrinsic change in the choroidal vasculature, with an apparently positive impact on pericentral contrast sensitivity. This effect may be of clinical utility.
Paris
G
G
South Texas Ocular Imaging Center, Ophthalmology Department, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, USA.
Sponsel
W E
WE
Sandoval
S S
SS
Elliott
W R
WR
Trigo
Y
Y
Sanford
D K
DK
Harison
J M
JM
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology; D005123:Eye / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D011687:Purines; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones; D014794:Visual Fields
D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate