Port-of-Spain (Trinidad Express):

The erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, also known as Sildenafil, is being used on children in Trinidad and Tobago who are suffering with heart disease.

The controversial treatment is used to delay pulmonary hypertension in infant boys and girls, as well as older children who have congenital heart problems.

Paediatrician Dr José Nunez told the Express that the use of the drug has been successful.

He presented his findings on the use of Viagra on children at Sunday's one-day regional medical conference on advances in paediatric cardiology.

It took place at the Hilton Trinidad, St Ann's, and was hosted by the Ministry of Health and the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

Dr Nunez, who is based at the Gulf View Medical Centre, said there were at least 15 cases where babies and children as old as 15 were being treated with Viagra to delay pul-monary hypertension.

"We inform the parents about why we are using it," he said. "There is minimal risk and we have gotten good results from them in terms of delaying the onset of pulmonary hypertension so that these children could go abroad and have surgery successfully."

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare condition in which the arteries carrying blood from the heart to the lungs become constricted. The condition can be disabling and leaves a patient gasping for breath. Very often, it is life-threatening.

Viagra is popularly known for its use in treating men with erectile dysfunction. It was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1998. More than 130 clinical trials were used to test the drug's safety.

The June 14, 2005, issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association reported that physicians all over the world have found that the drug may help children suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension.

"The erections you would get with Viagra would only happen if you are sexually stimulated, so with kids you don't really expect them to have this problem," assured Dr Nunez.