Also known as sildenafil, the drug is often prescribed to help men's erectile dysfunction, but an eight-week study shows it helps women who experience sexual problems from antidepressant use.
H. George Nurnberg, the study's lead author and a professor at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, said he analysed the drug's effect on 98 women, average age 37 and all pre-menopausal, who were told to take the pills before sexual activity. Half of them received Viagra and half received a placebo.
The results indicated that women taking Viagra reported a remarkable increase in performance and satisfaction levels over those on placebo. However, 43 percent of the women taking Viagra also reported headaches and flushing, versus 27 percent of those on placebo.
The study women had been taking antidepressants including Celexa, Effexor, Paxil, and Zoloft for two years and had suffered sexual problems for at least four weeks.
The researchers added that it is important to evaluate a woman's hormone levels before prescribing Viagra for sexual problems.
Results of the study are in the July 23-30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
