Researchers at the University of Alberta have shown that Viagra, the popular drug prescribed for erectile dysfunction, can improve heart function and potentially save the lives of people with specific heart problems.

Viagra's unexpected benefit has led the U of A researchers to encourage doctors to consider the drug when a patient has a failing right ventricle of the heart, a dire condition for which there are currently no treatments available.

"There are a number of medical conditions in both children and adults for which there is a need to boost the performance of the right ventricle, and this drug can be clinically and immediately relevant to help these patients," said Dr. Jayan Nagendran, a cardiac surgery resident at the U of A and the first author of the paper.