A new study suggests that men who take Viagra or similar type drugs could be at an increased risk for long-term hearing loss.
A new study suggests that men who take Viagra or similar type drugs could be at an increased risk for long-term hearing loss. The research showed that, of 11,525 men over age 40, those who took phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) such as Viagra, Levita or Cialis, were twice as likely to report hearing loss as were men who had not used the drugs. The results are published in the May 18 issue of the journal Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Study author Gerald McGwin, Jr, MS, PhD, a professor of epidemiology in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, says the study only shows an association, and not a direct cause-effect link, and more research is needed to back up the findings. The correlation was the most signficant for men reporting use of sildenafil (generic form of Viagra) over those who used tadalafil (Cialis) or vardenafil (Levitra)—probably due in part to a small sample size for both of the latter drugs. McGwin said the findings indicated an elevated but not statistically significant increase in hearing loss for users of tadalafil and vardenafil.
To read the full study, click here.