15 Viagra Ups and Downs

March 27, 2013— -- intro: It's been 15 years since Viagra took America by storm, quickly securing its place as one of the best-selling prescription drugs of all time.

"Viagra was a game-changer," said Dr. Ryan Terlecki, assistant professor of urology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., recalling the not-so-distant days of injectable drugs and surgical implants for erectile dysfunction. "It totally revolutionized men's sexual health, and men's health overall."

The little blue pill was originally developed to treat angina and pulmonary hypertension -- diseases that cause tightness in the chest and shortness of breath.

"These guys started breathing better, but they said to their doctors, 'You'll never guess what else happened to me,'" Terlecki said.

In the 15 years since, Viagra has been tested in dozens of diseases, proving successful in some of the most dismal.

"Viagra is truly unique in the multitude of applications being explored, especially 15 years out," said Terlecki. "It's one of those things that people wonder if we should be putting it in the water."

Here, a list of 15 "vitamin V" successes, failures and exciting prospects.

quicklist: 1category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Muscular Dystrophyurl: text: Viagra might help protect the hearts of boys and men with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, a disease that causes progressive muscle weakness and heart disease. The drug showed promise in mice and is currently being tested in patients.

quicklist: 2category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Lung Diseaseurl: text: Approved to treat hypertension in the lungs, Viagra once held promise for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. But the drug failed in a clinical trial, worsening symptoms and quality of life.

quicklist: 3category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Female Sexual Dysfunctionurl: text: Despite its success in men, Viagra's effects in women have been tough to tease out. The little blue pill might hold promise for women with sexual dysfunction secondary to multiple sclerosis, diabetes, spinal cord injury and antidepressant medications.

quicklist: 4category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Altitude Sicknessurl: text: Viagra can help you rise to the occasion, when mountain climbing, that is. The drug has been shown to soften the symptoms of altitude sickness.

quicklist: 5category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Athletic Performanceurl: text: Chicago Bears' receiver Brandon Marshall raised eyebrows when he said some NFL players use Viagra as a performance enhancer. While the drug has been proven to boost blood flow, its effects on athletic performance remain unclear.

quicklist: 6category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Jet Lagurl: text: Viagra might help fight the effects of jet lag, according to a study in hamsters. Rodents that were fed the little blue pill recovered 50 percent faster than their unmedicated friends after a shift in light-dark cycle.

quicklist: 7category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Cold Extremitiesurl: text: Viagra can help fight the symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon, a condition that causes arterial spasms that block blood flow to the fingers, toes, ears and nose. Raynaud's can be caused by smoking, autoimmune disease and frostbite.

quicklist: 8category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Cystic Fibrosisurl: text: Researchers are studying whether Viagra holds promise for cystic fibrosis, a disease that causes life-threatening lung damage.

quicklist: 9category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: IVFurl: text: For couples trying to conceive through in vitro fertilization, Viagra might help promote embryo implantation and improve the odds of pregnancy.

quicklist: 10category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Heart Diseaseurl: text: Viagra dilates arteries and boosts blood flow, properties that could be beneficial in people with heart failure. Clinical trials are underway.

quicklist: 11category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Strokeurl: text: Viagra has been show to fight the effects of stroke in rats, boosting neurological function and reducing mortality. The little blue pill is now being tested in stroke patients.

quicklist: 12category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Diabetesurl: text: Viagra might help fight the effects of diabetes, according to animal studies. The drug improves the function of blood vessels, which are damaged by high blood sugar levels.

quicklist: 13category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Schizophreniaurl: text: Researchers are investigating whether Viagra can improve mood symptoms and memory in people with schizophrenia, a disabling brain disorder.

quicklist: 14category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Chronic Fatigue Syndromeurl: text: Researchers are currently studying whether Viagra can combat fatigue and boost blood flow to the brain in people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

quicklist: 15category: Viagra Ups and Downs title: Sleep Apneaurl: text: Viagra has been shown to aggravate sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night.