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Updated: May 29, 2026
07:28
A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor
Published on: July 24, 2012
Sildenafil-induced cervical spinal cord infarction
1Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. janicawalden@hotmail.com
AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|September 10, 2011
Summary
Sildenafil (Viagra) combined with hypertension drugs may cause acute cervical spinal cord infarction. Magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is vital for diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Spinal cord infarction is a rare but serious neurological emergency.
- Sildenafil is a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor used for erectile dysfunction.
- Hypertension is a common comorbidity associated with erectile dysfunction.
Observation:
- A patient developed acute, rapidly progressive neurological deficits.
- The patient was concurrently using sildenafil and hypertension medication.
Findings:
- Cervical spinal cord infarction was diagnosed.
- The infarction was potentially linked to the combination of sildenafil and antihypertensive therapy.
- Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on MRI was essential for diagnosis.
Implications:
- This case highlights a potential drug interaction between sildenafil and hypertension medications leading to spinal cord ischemia.
- Clinicians should consider spinal cord infarction in patients presenting with acute neurological deficits, especially those on sildenafil and antihypertensive agents.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanism and incidence of this adverse event.
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