The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer developed the path breaking drug Viagra (sildenafil citrate) and launched it as a treatment for erectile dysfunction in 1998. Since then, the little blue pill has attained near-iconic status as an effective solution for male impotence. But very few people know that this drug was initially developed for treating other conditions. Learn about the fascinating history of this revolutionary impotence drug.

Sildenafil – the active ingredient present in this impotence medication – was synthesized at Pfizer’s research facility in Kent. Pharmaceutical chemists working for Pfizer initially studied sildenafil for its effects on hypertension (commonly known as high blood pressure) as well as for angina pectoris (one of the symptoms of ischaemic heart disease). However, initial clinical trials reported that sildenafil was hardly effective for angina, but could improve penile erections to a significant extent.

That is why Pfizer decided to promote it as a treatment for erectile dysfunction rather than for hypertension or angina. Viagra was patented as an erectile dysfunction drug in 1996 and was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 1998. It entered the market as the first and only oral treatment prescribed for erectile dysfunction in men. It became a runaway success, with annual sales exceeding $1 billion during 1999-2001.

Viagra was marketed by a canny strategy involving advertisements of this prescription drug that featured prominent figures such as Pele, the soccer star and Senator Bob Dole. The internet is increasingly being used to promote this medication, with numerous websites being licensed to sell the pill after consulting a doctor online. It is likely that Viagra has achieved more success as an impotence treatment than it would have as a solution for hypertension or angina.