Erectile dysfunction drugs sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil have significant beneficial effects in pulmonary arterial hypertension, an Australian Cochrane review confirms.

Melbourne researchers investigated the efficacy of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors for pulmonary hypertension in adults and children in their systematic review of 36 studies with 2999 participants with pulmonary hypertension from all causes.

Compared with placebo-treated patients, patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, also known as Group 1 pulmonary hypertension) treated with PDE5 inhibitors had almost ninefold greater odds of improving their functional class.

They also walked 48m further in the six-minute walk distance and were 22% less likely to die over a mean duration of 14 weeks — all significant findings.