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Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2000;283:590-593.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

A small number of men die after ingesting Viagra. Most of these deaths are attributed to the high risk of mortality these men have due to cardiovascular disease. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and manufacturer Pfizer Inc are aware of the deaths but believe the drug continues to be safe for patients when correctly prescribed.

But some pharmacoepidemiologists argue that the safety of Viagra (sildenafil), hailed as a significant new treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), should be questioned. They say postmarketing surveillance isn't as stringent as it should be—that an unanswered question remains: are some men who take Viagra dying because of the underlying disease or because of the drug?

"If you find old guys on Viagra dying from heart attacks, it's hard to know if it's the Viagra or the sexual activity," said Jerry Avorn, MD, chief of the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics at . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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