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Viagra was the first drug approved by the U.S. federal government for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, and researchers in California have discovered a new use for it. An article published in the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that researchers have studied the effects of Viagra on athletes and soldiers at high altitudes. Pulmonary hypertension is caused by a low-oxygen environment, during which blood vessels in the lungs constrict, increasing the heart's workload to pump blood. Hypoxia in high-altitude environments is an important cause of pulmonary hypertension. Institutions such as Stanford University have studied the hypoxic state caused by individuals riding fixed bicycles while wearing masks for 6 kilometers. The control group experienced hypoxia after exercising at an altitude equivalent to 12,700 feet. However, 39% of the experimental group given Viagra showed signs of hypoxia later than the control group. The New York Times reported that the military is preparing to conduct a study to see if Viagra can enhance soldiers' tolerance to low oxygen levels in high-altitude environments like Afghanistan.
Translated by Chengjun Wu from sciencedaily.
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