Viagra May Boost Female Libido in Some Cases (HealthDay)

TUESDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- The drug that turned aroundthe sex lives of many older men has proven in a small trial to also helpwomen on antidepressants who experience sexual dysfunction.

The eight-week study found that Viagra, also known as sildenafil,helped women achieve orgasm.

"In this study population, sildenafil treatment of sexual dysfunctionin women taking SRIs was associated with a reduction in adverse sexualeffects," the study's authors wrote.

Results of the study are in the July 23/30 issue of the Journal ofthe American Medical Association. The lead author of the study, Dr. H.George Nurnberg, of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, inAlbuquerque, declined to be interviewed for this article.

Selective and nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such asProzac, Paxil, Zoloft and Effexor, comprise up to 90 percent of the 180million antidepressant prescriptions filled in the United States eachyear, according to the study. But while these medications are veryeffective at treating clinical depression, one of their known drawbacksare sexual side effects.

Nurnberg and his colleagues previously reported in the Journal ofClinical Psychiatry, that Viagra was helpful for men who suffered fromerectile dysfunction associated with the use of antidepressantmedications.

In the current study, undertaken at seven research centers, they turnedtheir attention to women. The study included 98 women -- half of whomreceived Viagra and half who received a placebo -- who were told to takethe pills before sexual activity.

Women taking Viagra reported an improved ability to reach orgasm andincreased orgasm satisfaction, according to the study authors.

But 43 percent of the women taking Viagra also reported headaches,versus 27 percent of those on placebo. Almost one-quarter of those usingViagra reporting flushing, while none of the women on placebo did. And 37percent of women taking Viagra reported nasal congestion compared to 6percent of women on placebo. Nausea and anxiousness were reported moreoften in the group taking placebo.

"The libido response in women is such a complex problem. If women areunhappy in a relationship, it can affect libido. If it hurts, it canaffect libido. If she doesn't feel good about herself, it can affectlibido. It's hard to tease all of those factors out," said Dr. JudiChervenak, a reproductive endocrinologist at Montefiore Medical Center inNew York City.

And, she added, "There's no definitive answer to date on howantidepressants cause a lack of libido. It could be because they'reaffecting dopamine, and women may be experiencing changes in dopamine thatindirectly affect vaginal lubrication and arousal and cause decreasedblood flow."

Of the current study, Chervenak said, "It's an enticing study, and itmakes me want to know more. Does it make me want to prescribe Viagraright off the bat? Not at this point. I'd suggest first that patients keepa symptom diary, so we can figure out what their issue is. Is it arousal?Is it decreased blood flow? Is it an orgasm problem?"

"Another possibility might be to work with their psychiatrist," sheadded. "Would it be better to change the antidepressant or to taper thedose? What about a drug holiday? Although you have to be careful, andpeople can't do that on their own, because there can be potentiallydevastating problems if you come off these medications too quickly."

"This study has opened up many questions, and hopefully, we'll learnmore in the future," concluded Chervenak.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Pfizer, which manufactures Viagra, toldthe Associated Press that the company has no plans to seek approvalfor using the drug as a treatment for female sexual dysfunction. Thecompany ended its own research on Viagra for women in 2004, she added.

More information

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