In a rare but possibly dangerous computer error many men and women in Scotland were recently given the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra instead of the smoking cessation drug Zyban. The problem was a simple computer mistake that was easily corrected when it was discovered but by this time a few people already had their prescriptions and were on their way already to the pharmacy to collect the Viagra.

Viagra has pretty minimal side effects and any healthy man or woman who took the drug would be unlikely to be affected negatively by the drug. Viagra is only really dangerous for men and women who have very low blood pressure or who are taking nitrates for a heart condition. Other than the drug is pretty harmless and may just have given some men (especially smokers) a pleasant surprise in the bedroom department.

Interestingly smokers benefit greatly from Viagra as many of them have constricted arteries due to the residue of tar and nicotine that collects in all the arteries. Often erectile dysfunction is caused by the fact that men have a penile artery that has become thinner due to years of smoking and this means that blood flow is restricted so the smokers who thought they were actually getting Zyban may have been perfect patients for the Viagra drug too.

It is unlikely that anyone was actually given the wrong drug however as it is likely that all the pharmacists would have doubled checked with the patients about the drugs they were getting and it is unlikely that the patients themselves would not have realised that they were getting the wrong drugs.

The relevant health authorities immediately rectified the computer problem and made sure that the same thing would not happen again. All doctors in the area were also notified and advised to watch out for this mistake.