Sildenafil flops in Reduction of Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, suggests study
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) poses a significant public health concern, with its treatment remaining challenging. Prior studies suggested a potential preventive effect of sildenafil, commonly used for erectile dysfunction (ED), on AMD development. However, recent research challenges this notion, highlighting the need for further investigation.
AMD affects millions worldwide and is a leading cause of vision impairment. Treatment options, particularly for the advanced stages, are limited and burdensome. Sildenafil, initially developed for hypertension, found success in treating ED and has been hypothesised to prevent AMD by increasing retinal blood flow.
This study was published in BMC Open Ophthalmology by Han JED and colleagues. A retrospective matched open-cohort study analyzed data from the IQVIA Medical Research Data (IMRD-UK) primary care database, encompassing 307,384 male patients aged ≥40 years with ED. The study compared AMD incidence between sildenafil users (n = 31,575) and non-users (n = 62,155) over a 20-year period.
Key Findings:
• Among the study cohort, 234 sildenafil users and 398 non-users developed AMD during the follow-up period.
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