Effect of sildenafil on oesophageal motor function in healthy subjects and patients with oesophageal motor disorders

• Published in: Gut Vol. 50; no. 6; pp. 758 - 764
• Main Authors: Eherer, A J, Schwetz, I, Hammer, H F, Petnehazy, T, Scheidl, S J, Weber, K, Krejs, G J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Society of Gastroenterology 01.06.2002; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; Copyright 2002 by Gut
• Subjects: achalasia; activity index; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; cGMP; Cyclic AMP - metabolism; Defects; Digestive system; Double-Blind Method; Esophageal Motility Disorders - drug therapy; Esophageal Motility Disorders - physiopathology; Esophagogastric Junction - drug effects; Female; guanosine 3`5`-cyclic monophosphate; Humans; Kinases; l-NMMA; Laboratories; LOS; lower oesophageal sphincter; Male; Manometry - methods; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Motility; N-monomethyl-l-arginine; nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; nutcracker oesophagus; oesophageal spasm; Oesophagus; PD5; Peristalsis - drug effects; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; phosphodiesterase type 5; Piperazines - pharmacology; Piperazines - therapeutic use; Pressure; Propagation; Purines; recombinant haemoglobin; rHb; Sildenafil Citrate; Studies; Sulfones; Human; Vasodilator agent; Motility; Esophageal disease; Pharmacology; Asymptomatic; Esophagus; In vivo; Chemotherapy; Dysfunction; Digestive diseases; Sildenafil; Pharmacokinetics

Background and aims: Sildenafil blocks phosphodiesterase type 5 which degrades nitric oxide (NO) stimulated 3`5`-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), thereby relaxing smooth muscle cells in various organs. We used sildenafil as a tool to investigate the role of the NO-cGMP pathway in the oesophagus of healt...