Coronavirus: WHO on new variant with 'multiple mutations'

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A nurse in the UK credits the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra for saving her life. The nurse had spent 45 days in intensive care and a month in a coma due to severe Covid complications. “Viagra was a last resort,” she explained on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

Speaking to GMB’s Susanna, she said: When I was intubated. I signed up for a study to allow my medical team to give me whatever it takes to get me better.

“It was actually made for cardiac issues. What we use it for in this day and age – erectile dysfunction – that’s a secondary effect.”

The nurse explained that Viagra works by enlarging the blood vessels and this opened up her airways.

Ms Almeida said: “In my case. I was told I had 72 hours to turn a corner or my ventilator would be turned off.”

“Within 48 hours my oxygen requirements had lowered to less than 50 percent.”

The nurse explained that she benefited from the treatment because it was only her lungs that were affected.

“My kidneys. My heart. All my other organs coped quite well. So when we say Viagra saved me. We have to have in the context what the medication was actually made for,” said Ms Almeida.

Why Viagra may benefit severe Covid patients

Viagra was originally developed for heart patients because it expands the blood vessels.

As Doctor Hilary explained, in the lung tissues, you have blood supply and oxygenated air sacs.

“The trouble with Covid is it creates profusion issues so that the diseased lung has too much blood in it and not enough oxygen. And the opposite is true in a healthy lung.

“By taking sildenafil [Viagra], you open the blood vessels to get better profusion into the lungs.”

According to the doc, this results is greater levels of oxygen entering the bloodstream, which boosts recovery.

“As we have just heard, sildenafil has been used for cardiac cases and just like many other drugs, it has many uses,” said Doctor Hilary.

Viagra is now in clinical trials to investigate its more broader applications, he noted.

You can get sildenafil on the NHS if you have erectile dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart.

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