Community | September 02, 2008 | 18 comments

Viagra keeps 7-year-old girl alive

source: http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Natalie-7-fights--killer.4447275.jp

Image
JanaPokana

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Natalie-7-fights--killer.4447275.jp

7-year-old Natalie Archibald suffers from a potentially lethal illness and is kept alive by four daily doses of Viagra.

When Natalie first fell ill 18 months ago, doctors put it down to over-excitement. But she was later found to be suffering from the lung condition primary pulmonary hypertension, a rare affliction in children. She was taken to Great Ormond Street children's hospital in London, where she was prescribed Viagra, better known for helping men's sex lives.

Mother Janis Archibald, 46, said: "At first when we saw the programme of drugs, Viagra was given the proper medical name (of Sildenafil or Revatio) so we didn't know what it was. It was only when we looked into it a bit more and, of course, then came all the jokes. But seriously, it has transformed her life. I've never seen her so happy. She can run, jump, skip – all the things her friends do."

Since starting the programme of drugs, Natalie is no longer experiences such symptoms, but the condition still threatens her life. The incurable illness causes high blood pressure in the lungs and strains the heart, with potentially fatal consequences. Viagra opens the arteries and improves blood flow to her lungs.
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Green,   WTF,   3 more
  2. tags:
    News,  News and Politics,  WTF,  Green,  8 more
  3.     
    |

18 comments // Viagra keeps 7-year-old girl alive

  • CarlyAlden
  • el_lera
    • 0
      el_lera  

    • oh ,and guys,viagra was not originally meant for what it has now become famous for,the" hardning " part was just a side effect and pfizer saw a cash machine .it has always been for hypertensive disorders.

    • 4 years ago
  • kewal91
    • 0
      kewal91  

    • Guys... its non uncommon for doctors to think outside the box and provide ways to cure people.. the body doesnt differentiate between viagra and advil.. it just cares about the basic chemicals.. it tries to match and do something about it... doctors have to think in that sense.. sheesh.. its like middle school in health class were every1 went.. ooh its a penis --- to a doctor its a diseased organ...

    • 4 years ago
  • BFAM_RVS
  • shelbyblo2010
  • Kynmore
    • 0
      Kynmore  

    • Reminds me of my niece, who is given blood-pressure meds to calm her down. Though she's young, you can tell her vs. other kids that are on things like Ritalin. I've seen kids sluggish and slothy, while my niece is just a controlled version of herself.

    • 4 years ago
  • Ken1138
    • 0
      Ken1138  

    • Believe it or not, doctors don't rely solely on television ads for their pharmaceutical data...I'm pretty sure they knew *exactly* what Sildenafil was and how it could assist the girl ;)

    • 4 years ago
  • PatrioticAstronaut
    • 0
      PatrioticAstronaut  

    • I love that prescription.

      Doctor 1:
      "So, What do we do?"

      Doctor 2:
      "Give'r sum Viagraa, Ted"

      Doctor 1 or Ted:
      "Umm...Ok. No Mal-Practice here. just hard justice"

    • 4 years ago
  • Swiyyah
    • 0
      Swiyyah  

    • That is cool that the medication has more than once purpose. Maybe other medications we have now might serve some unknown purpose.

    • 4 years ago
  • simonedward
  • hellosunshine95
    • 0
      hellosunshine95  

    • 7 year old girl? viagra? wow. hmmm. maybe the doctor had some in his pocket when he couldnt think of anything else to perscribe. but wow. its good shes alive.

    • 4 years ago
  • LindseyIndigo
    • 0
      LindseyIndigo  

    • I'm amazed too, purplefox. My fake grandma went to hospital 2 weeks ago unable to breathe and desperate for oxygen. Doctors told her she was having a panic attack and refused to give her oxygen until she'd 'calmed down'. Turns out there were blood clots in her lungs. Nice one, medical profession.

      She's ok for now, and fingers completely and utterly crossed that she'll get better soon and the embolism will disperse, but it's no thanks to the doctors she was desperately asking for help.

    • 4 years ago
  • kewal91
  • purplefox
    • 0
      purplefox  

    • I'm amazed at the times doctors dramatically mis-diagnose dangerous conditions, putting them down to 'over-excitement' (?!) , stomach bugs, etc.

      I'm impressed they managed to give her viagra though - I thought there'd be quite restrictive legislation about that kinda thing.

    • 4 years ago
  • zenpilgrim
    • 0
      zenpilgrim  
    • purplefox:

      Sildenafil citrate was a drug developed for angina. The testing showed i to have little effect on angina but it did produce erections so they tested it for erectile dysfunction. It it also used pulmonary arterial hypertension (labeled as Revatio - in 20 milligram tablets that are white and round - Viagra are blue) and for the prevention and treatment of High altitude pulmonary edema associated with altitude sickness.

    • 4 years ago
  • simonedward
  • joshuaheller
  • simonedward

top videos