EXCLUSIVE: Doctors prescribe Viagra for babies

Thursday, July 24, 2008

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Cherish Nero says Viagra treatment has helped her son, Noah.

ST. PETERSBURG (Bay News 9) -- Doctors at All Children's Hospital are now prescribing Viagra to babies to treat a particular disorder that affects the lungs.

Dr. Gul Dadlani, a pediatric cardiologist at All Children's Hospital, says Viagra is a wonder drug for babies who're born with pulmonary hypertension.

"As the blood flow goes to the lung, the arteries in the lung become constricted or tightened," Dadlani said. "With Viagra therapy it relaxes those vessels and allows more blood flow to go to the lungs and improves the symptoms for the patient."

Dadlani says Viagra, which is a popular treatment for erectile dysfunction, does not have the same effect on infants and young children as it does on men.

Cherish Nero said that was a concern when doctors at All Children's Hospital prescribed it for son, Noah.

"The first thought in my mind was what else is it going to do for him besides work as a pulmonary dilator," Nero said.

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Dadlani says because of the success they've had with Viagra more and more babies are prescribed the medication.

Sophie Sanders has been on the drug for two years and has benefited from the treatment.

"I would say that Viagra did save her life at one point," said Sophie's mother Tanya. "Right now we are weaning off of it."

Nero credits Viagra for doing the same for Noah.

"It definitely has saved his life," Nero said. "It's what got us off of the ventilator and out of the hospital."

Viagra does carry some risk for babies. Doctors say if the levels are too high it can drop blood pressure. There are also no studies completed on long-term effects.