Transient global amnesia after sildenafil (Viagra) use

Sildenafil citrate (Viagra; Pfizer US Pharmaceutical Group, New York, NY) is used for erectile dysfunction. Little is known, however, about its effects on the CNS. A recent case report suggests that sildenafil, through unknown mechanisms, can cause stroke.1 The authors describe a patient with a history of migraines who had a transient event of global amnesia after taking sildenafil. Patients with migraine may be more susceptible to transient global amnesia (TGA) if exposed to precipitants. Therefore, the authors recommend that sildenafil be used with caution in patients with a history of migraine. A 51-year-old, right-handed man with hypertension and a history of classic migraines had played 18 holes of golf in the early morning. When he …