Counterregulatory Effects of PDE5 Inhibitors on SARS-CoV-2

What is it about?

In this commentary, published in Future Cardiology, I present the current evidence regarding the counterregulatory effects of PDE5 inhibitors on SARS-CoV-2 replication and COVID-19-associated thromboembolism. Given the recent findings regarding the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2, and the pathways involved in COVID-19, resulting in pulmonary fibrosis and thromboembolism; it appears that PDE5 inhibitors could be good candidates in the clinical management of COVID-19 patients, especially those with a history of underlying cardiac and metabolic diseases.

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Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash

Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash

Why is it important?

With their dual inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 3CL pro and the NO/cGMP/PDE5 pathway, PDE5 inhibitors suggestively act in more than one way against COVID-19, leading to the inhibition of viral replication and downregulation of pro-inflammatory pathways concerned with the induction of iNOS and instigation of thromboembolism.

Perspectives