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Biotech / Medical : PFE (Pfizer) How high will it go? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jopawa who wrote (7969)	6/18/1999 6:30:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9523

Viagra effective in diabetics Updated 12:22 PM ET June 18, 1999 SAN DIEGO, Jun 18 (Reuters Health) -- Viagra appears to be safe and well tolerated by men with diabetes, and is especially helpful in men who have few diabetic complications, a study suggests. In a study of 252 diabetic men, average age 57, who had erectile dysfunction for more than 6 months, those treated with Viagra (sildenafil) had a significant improvement in the condition compared with men treated with placebo (a "dummy" pill). Compared with published data for men in the general population who required 100 milligrams of the drug, "diabetics didn't do quite as well, whether we studied achieving erections or maintaining erections," said Dr. Stanley Korenman, of the University of California at Los Angeles in an interview with Reuters Health. "However, diabetics were as satisfied with the results of treatment as the general population." Erectile dysfunction is a common problem in diabetics. In both the Viagra- and placebo-treated groups, the negative side effects were mostly mild, and none of the four serious side effects reported were considered to be Viagra-related, according to a study presented this week at the annual meeting of The Endocrine Society. Korenman and colleagues at the University of Washington in Seattle and elsewhere randomly assigned each patient to a placebo or a starting dose of 50 milligrams per day of Viagra, which could be reduced to 25 milligrams per day or increased to 100 milligrams per day based on response and tolerability. By the end of the 12-week study, 89% of the patients in the Viagra group were using 100-milligram doses. The research team also discovered that diabetics with two or more complications, such as diabetes-related eye, kidney, or heart problems, showed no more improvement than placebo-treated patients. Diabetics with none or only one complication had more success achieving and maintaining erections. Tightly controlling blood sugar levels with diet, insulin or other medications can help prevent diabetic complications. "This is another motivation for men with diabetes to really work at their control," Korenman told Reuters Health. "But I would try Viagra as the first line of treatment in any diabetic with erectile dysfunction."