PDE5 Inhibitors in Non-Urological Conditions

Authors: Vlachopoulos, C.; Terentes-Printzios, D.; Ioakeimidis, N.; Rokkas, K.; Stefanadis, C.

Source: Current Pharmaceutical Design, Volume 15, Number 30, October 2009 , pp. 3521-3539(19)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Buy & download fulltext article:

OR

Price: $63.10 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

Phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitors are widely used as first-line therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED). Their efficacy and safety combined with an increasing understanding of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)- regulated mechanisms, have triggered a number of attempts to determine their effects and potential benefits in nonurological conditions. In recent years, extensive and diverse preclinical and clinical evidence has been made available. PDE5 inhibition has shown collateral benefits for a multitude of risk factors or diseases associated with, or accompanying ED. To date, PDE5 inhibition has been shown to be effective for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension and both sildenafil and tadalafil are approved for this indication. However, PDE5 inhibitors appear to have the potential of further expanding their indications. Importantly, accumulating data show that the therapeutic potential extends to the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, cutaneous and nervous system and that these agents may be beneficial in a multitude of conditions such as Raynaud's phenomenon, heart failure, essential hypertension and stroke. PDE5 inhibitors are a conceptually attractive therapeutic class of agents with pleiotropic effects. The present review discusses recent findings regarding the effects of PDE5 inhibitors on non-urological conditions and highlights current and future clinical applications beyond ED.

Keywords: Sildenafil; tadalafil; vardenafil; phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161209789206980

Affiliations: 1: Profiti Elia 24, Athens 14575, Greece.

Publication date: 2009-10-01

More about this publication?
  • Current Pharmaceutical Design publishes timely in-depth reviews covering all aspects of current research in rational drug design. Each issue is devoted to a single major therapeutic area. A Guest Editor who is an acknowledged authority in a therapeutic field has solicits for each issue comprehensive and timely reviews from leading researchers in the pharmaceutical industry and academia.

    Each thematic issue of Current Pharmaceutical Design covers all subject areas of major importance to modern drug design, including: medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, drug targets and disease mechanism.
Related content

Tools

Key

Free Content
Free content
New Content
New content
Open Access Content
Open access content
Subscribed Content
Subscribed content
Free Trial Content
Free trial content

Text size:

A | A | A | A
Share this item with others: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. print icon Print this page