Viagra Could Make You Deaf, Doctors Say
Those little blue pills may have some unintended side-effects.
Namely the inability to hear after taking them.
It seems 47 suspected cases of rapid hearing loss have been linked to Viagra, as well as similar drugs like Cialis and Levitra, according to the Telegraph. However, 223 other reported cases in the U.S. were excluded fro mthe study because of a lack of detail.
According to the new study, published in the journal The Laryngoscope, experts feel the problem is serious enough to warrant further warnings by doctors.
The conclusion from The Laryngoscope:
There is increasing evidence that PDE-5 inhibitors may induce sensorineural hearing loss via plausible physiological mechanisms. There needs to be more awareness of this disabling side effect among healthcare professionals responsible for prescribing this drug.
The average age of those affected was 57.
Despite the warnings, the risk still seems relatively low. According to the Telegraph, spokespeople for the drug maintain that reports of a reaction to the drug don't prove that it actually is causing problems.
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The Huffington Post Dean Praetorius First Posted: 05/19/11 06:46 PM ET Updated: 07/19/11 06:12 AM ET