Essay - The Effects of Viagra on the Performance and Physiology of...

The Effects of Viagra on the Performance and Physiology of Muscles in a Weight-Lifting Program

Chapter 1: Introduction

Statement ***** ***** Problem

Purpose of Study

Importance of Study

Scope of Study

***** ***** Study

Overview of *****

***** 2: Review of Related Literature

Chapter 3: Methodology

Description of the Study Approach

Data-gathering Method ***** Database of Study

The ***** of Viagra on the Performance and Physiology ***** Muscles in a ***** Progr*****m

Chapter 1: *****

Today, milli*****s of American men are actively engaged in weight-lifting and resistance training regi*****s (Segal & Mastroianni, 2003). Likewise, millions of American men are also taking drugs to enhance their sexual performance. According to Newman (2006), on October 28, 2003, representatives from the Pfizer pharmaceuticals attended a celebr*****ti***** at ***** company's corporate headquarters in New York City to commemorate the fifth anniversary ***** the launch of their increasingly popular drug, Viagra. Sildenafil citrate, the chemical name of the patented drug Viagra, is intended to treat erectile dysfunction or ED; however, it was not the product was released in 1998 that the cond*****ion became commonly referred to as ED, ***** the condition was generally termed "male impotence" (*****, p. 1). In his book, Sexual Health for Men, Spark (2000) reports, "Originally called UK-92480, then given the generic name sildenafil and more recently ***** br***** name Viagra, this new medication was widely heralded as the pill that could cure impotence" (emphasis author's) (p. *****03). American consumers will not have to generic version ***** sildenafil available until 2015 when drug's *****atent expires (Harper, *****).

State*****t of ***** *****

Sildenafil (Viagra) ***** developed originally to be a blood-pressure-lowering (antihypertensive) medication (*****). According to de Rond (2003), "***** was originally intended ***** combat angina but seemed doomed to failure upon disappointingly low rates ***** effectiveness in combat*****g the disease. However, as luck would ***** it, side effects reported by healthy ***** volunteers indicated a promising alternative disease target" (pp. 22-23). It was *****se initial clinical studies ***** were intended to evaluate precisely how effective sildenafil was at *****ering blood pressure that identified significant and unexpected side effects of the drug. According to Spark, "Hypertensive men taking sildenafil started to experience a surprising number of frequent firm erections" (p. 103). Not *****ly, this unintended but serendipitous and potentially useful ***** effect ***** determined to be a superior application for sildenafil than its original angina ***** (Spark). As to physiological effects, researchers determined that, "Viagra changes penile functioning and in the end ***** functioning. The machine is improved from the inside. On ***** inside something happens to the machine to make it perform better ***** it had before" (Gross & Blundo, p. 85).

***** "something" ***** is changed physiologically is the rate of blood flow to the penis. In ***** regard, Segal and ***** report that, "Viagra or other drugs that help ***** cause and maintain ***** flow to the vascular system of ***** ***** are the *****ment of choice. They w*****k by perm*****ting and ********** engorgement of the penis. Before Viagra,