Study: Viagra works with antidepressants
CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Men who suffer sexual dysfunction as a result of taking certain antidepressants can be helped by Viagra, according to an article in this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Reports show 30 percent to 70 percent of the men who take antidepressants experience sexual dysfunction, and 90 percent of them subsequently stop taking the medication, according to the article.
Among men taking either selective or nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants, more than 50 percent reported being much or very much improved after taking sildenafil citrate -- known by the brand name Viagra -- in tests conducted by a team led by Dr. H. George Nurnberg of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.
The study, conducted at three U.S. university medical centers, involved 90 men averaging 45 years old whose major depressive disorder was remission. Patients were assigned to take Viagra or a placebo before sexual activity for six weeks.
According to self-administered tests assessing various areas of sexual function, 54 percent of the men taking Viagra reported improvement compared with 4 percent of those taking the placebo. Improvements were reported in erectile function, arousal, ejaculation, orgasm and overall satisfaction.
Average depression scores remained consistent throughout the study.
According to the JAMA article, about 18 million Americans are diagnosed with major depressive disorders annually, and 12 million to 18 million are treated with antidepressants. In addition to sexual dysfunction, side effects can include weight gain and sleep disturbances.