RESEARCHERS have discovered a surprising hero medication in the fight against vascular dementia: sildenafil, better known as Viagra.
Yes, the little blue pill isn't just for romance anymore.
Published in Circulation Research, the study showed how Dr Alastair Webb and his team, at Oxford University's Wolfson Centre for Prevention of Stroke and Dementia, observed 75 participants who had experienced minor strokes.
The team found that sildenafil could improve blood flow to the brain's small vessels, potentially preventing the chronic damage leading to vascular dementia.
The trial, nicknamed OxHARP, involved participants taking sildenafil, a placebo, and cilostazol in random order.
Remarkably, sildenafil not only increased blood flow but also outperformed cilostazol in terms of side effects, causing fewer digestive issues.
This unexpected discovery suggests that a well-known, widely available drug could transform dementia prevention.
As Wolfsen Centre Director Prof Peter Rothwell enthusiastically noted, the potential to use existing medications for such significant health benefits is both "exciting and promising".
With larger trials on the horizon, who knew that a pill famous the world over for one kind of performance could help with another?
Stay tuned for more in the thrilling saga of science.
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