Effect of sildenafil on arterial stiffness, as assessed by pulse wave velocity, in patients with erectile dysfunction.

BACKGROUND The problems of patients with erectile dysfunction have been recognized, leading to the emergence of sildenafil, which has led to successful treatment in many cases. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of sildenafil on the pulse wave velocity of patients with erectile dysfunction. METHODS Fifteen patients with erectile dysfunction were enrolled for this study. The brachial/ankle pulse wave velocity was determined before dosing and at 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after dosing with 25 or 50 mg of sildenafil citrate. Concurrently, the changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and brachial/ankle pulse wave velocity were measured. For the consideration of revised brachial/ankle pulse wave velocity by blood pressure, the systolic blood pressure-derived brachial/ankle pulse wave was also investigated, and we classified and examined those results with and without risk factors for arteriosclerosis. RESULTS The systolic blood pressure decreased significantly at 60 min after dosing compared with the placebo control. The heart rate decreased at 120 min after dosing compared with the placebo control but that decrease was not significant. The brachial/ankle pulse wave velocity transiently decreased at 30 or 60 min after dosing compared with the placebo control, but the decrease was not significant; however, the systolic blood pressure-derived brachial/ankle pulse wave velocity decreased significantly. In those patients with risk factors for arteriosclerosis, the pulse wave velocity decreased significantly. CONCLUSION In patients with erectile dysfunction who were administered sildenafil, the pulse wave velocity, along with blood pressure, tended to decrease transiently after dosing. There is a possibility that sildenafil affects the improvement of erectile dysfunction via the decrease of pulse wave velocity, especially in patients with risk factors for arteriosclerosis.