Success

"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exltation; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived...this is to have succeeded." _Ralph Waldo Emerson_

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Viagra for Babies

Every now and again I come across something at work that the outside world would think is crazy...well, maybe more often than every now and again. But to me these things are just normal. I thought for you 'outside' world people, i'd give you an interesting nugget into our crazy world.
And so, yes it's true. The other night I gave my baby patient a few doses of viagra. Although, we don't call it that. It goes by it's trade name in pediatrics because when treatment was first being tired, people flipped their lid at the idea of giving viagra to babies. And so it's called sildenafil....same drug....different name. Now, I know what your question is (particularly you, Grant, if you're reading this)....and the answer is no.
Sildenafil is used to treat pulmonary hypertension. In other words it lowers pulmonary vascular resistance and thereby increases the ability to oxygenate. Esentially it's a dilator...we all know that. But very interesting huh?

2 comments:

Great Brit said...

Lovin' it! How did you know I would need some clarification around this???

The Runner Bunch said...

You did say it's "dangerous to pick a nurses brain..." :)