Viagra marks its tenth anniversary

10 years ago on March 27 Viagra came into lives of millions. The drug was finally approved by the Food and Drug Administration, becoming the first pill approved to treat erectile dysfunction in the United States.

Photo: Viagra marks its tenth anniversary

The drug was synthesized by a group of pharmaceutical chemists working at Pfizer's Sandwich, Kent research facility in England. It was initially studied for use in hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina pectoris (a form of ischaemic cardiovascular disease).

Soon after 1998 Viagra became a great success: annual sales of the drug in the period 1999–2001 exceeded $1 billion.

The "Viagra" name has become so well known that many fake aphrodisiacs now call themselves "herbal Viagra" or are presented as blue tablets imitating the shape and color of Pfizer's product. Viagra is also informally known as "Vitamin V", "the Blue Pill", as well as various other nicknames.

Among Viagra’s common side effects are:

- sneezing;

- headache;

- flushing;

- dyspepsia;

- palpitations;

- photophobia.

The side effects are nothing in comparison with the pleasure one can get when one feels superpotent nowadays.