Viagra, the blockbuster erectile dysfunction (ED) drug, could give some users more than a lift in the bedroom by causing flatulence.
The little blue pill, which contains sildenafil citrate, has been known to give users nearly 555 side effects, according to the UK’s drug regulatory body – Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Ten Viagra users complained the drug made them lose their hearing, like Hugh Hefner, founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine.
Hefner’s lovers Karissa and Kristina Shannon even claimed that he said he would rather live in silence than without sex before dying at the age of 91 in 2017.
One man experience swelling in the lips after taking the sex pill, while another became euphoric, and seven users reported fainting. One man who used Viagra reported bottom burps.
In the past five years, Viagra has been linked to more than 30 deaths.
Each year, more than 3.5 million Viagra prescriptions for Viagra, or generic sildenafil, are handed out annually. Many more men buy generic Viagra online for at a much, much cheaper price.
Sildenafil is also advised for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which is high blood pressure in the lungs.
Originally, sildenafil was recommended for the treatment of PAH; however, during clinical trials, scientists discovered that the drug helped men achieve healthy erections. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved sildenafil in 1998 for the treatment of ED.
Suspected side effects have been recorded by the MHRA under its “yellow card” scheme, which allows doctors and patients to file a report if they notice any side effects after taking Viagra pills.
The MHRA said every medicine has side effects and carries some risk but said many events could be coincidental.
Viagra manufacturer Pfizer said most of the side effects have been reported by patients who took the drug for PAH. A company’s spokesman said, “Since its introduction in 1998, sildenafil has been used by more than 37 million men. Its safety has been well established through extensive post-marketing surveillance.”
