title: Effect of Viagra on the foveolar choroidal circulation of AMD patients.
abstract: To investigate the effects of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) on foveolar choroidal circulation in patients with age related macular degeneration (AMD). Double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Fifteen male AMD patients received a dose of 100 mg of sildenafil or matching placebo on two separate days. Laser Doppler flowmetry was performed to assess relative choroidal blood velocity (ChB(Vel)), volume (ChB(Vol)) and flow (ChB(Flow)) in the study eye prior to administration of the drug at baseline and 30, 90, 180, 300 min after dosing. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity (CS), mean arterial blood pressure (BPm), heart rate (HR), intraocular pressure (IOP) and ocular perfusion pressure (PP) were determined. In comparison to placebo, sildenafil did not cause any statistically significant changes in mean ChB(Vel) (ANOVA, P=0.12), ChB(Vol) (ANOVA, P=0.24) or ChB(Flow) (ANOVA, P=0.46). There were no statistically significant changes in CS (ANOVA, P=0.59), BCVA (P=0.58), IOP (P=0.81) or HR (P=0.07) throughout the study. Significant decreases in BPm (P=0.006) and PP (P=0.006) were observed at 30 min after sildenafil. Administration of sildenafil citrate didn't cause any statistically significant changes in the foveolar choroidal circulation of AMD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, 51 North 39th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Tatyana I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Metelitsina
authors.forename: Juan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Grunwald
authors.forename: Joan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: DuPont
authors.forename: Gui-shuang
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ying
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000098:blood supply*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011687:Purines; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate