Viagra, the brand name of the drug sildenafil, is now sold as a generic drug by many manufacturers around the world. Sildenafil is essentially the exact same medication as Viagra, which was the first major erectile dysfunction ED medication on the market and is made by Pfizer Inc.
Once other companies could legally sell their own sildenafil tablets in , the options for consumers quickly expanded. The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer discovered the erectile dysfunction benefits of sildenafil by accident. Researchers were testing the medication to treat high blood pressure and angina — chest pain associated with heart disease.
They found that the medication was especially effective at inducing erections. The Food and Drug Administration approved Viagra in , making it the first oral drug specifically prescribed for erectile dysfunction. Pfizer was also the first to introduce generic Viagra through a subsidiary called Greenstone. Other companies around the world also manufacture sildenafil pills. Sildenafil is best known as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, the inability to get or keep an erection.
Sildenafil should be taken prior to intercourse with the understanding that its effects last only a few hours. Sildenafil is also approved for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension PH — elevated blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs and in the right side of the heart. Revatio is the brand name of sildenafil prescribed for PH. Generic sildenafil is always sold as sildenafil. There are currently no other brand names for the drug, aside from Viagra and Revatio. The United Kingdom allows for over-the-counter sales of the drug, in part to discourage the market for fake sildenafil, one of the most commonly counterfeited drugs in the world.
While generic sildenafil and Viagra are equally safe and effective, there is one key difference between the medications: cost. It treats ED symptoms. It just helps control blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. Sildenafil is in a class of medications called phosphodiesterase type 5 PDE5 inhibitors.
These drugs restrict the action of phosphodiesterase enzymes PDEs , which degrade cGMP, a type of molecule that relaxes smooth muscle tissue in the body, such as those in the blood vessels that allow the penis to become erect.
Taking sildenafil improves circulation by helping the arteries relax enough to fill more easily with blood. Sildenafil is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, reaching maximum concentration in about an hour for most users. Sexual stimulation is still required. However, for most healthy people, sildenafil can make an erection easier to achieve.
A 4-year study found that sildenafil is generally safe to use over the long-term. Sildenafil is available as a tablet in a range of doses. Like Viagra, generic sildenafil is sold in milligram mg , mg, mg, and mg tablets. The mg dose is standard, though some doctors start patients on a mg dose to see if that is sufficient. If you have low blood pressure, taking Viagra could make you feel dizzy or lightheaded, or cause you to faint. If you feel dizzy or faint after taking Viagra, lie down until this feeling passes.
If you have a heart problem or low blood pressure, talk with your doctor about whether Viagra is safe for you.
On rare occasions, some people taking Viagra have had heart attack , stroke , or irregular heartbeat. These conditions mainly occurred in people who already had a heart problem. If you have chest pain after taking Viagra, you should stop having sexual activity right away. And if you have a heart problem, talk with your doctor before starting Viagra.
Headaches are a common side effect of Viagra. Headaches, as well as flushing and dizziness, occur because Viagra widens certain blood vessels in your body. This percentage varied depending on the dose of Viagra used and how often the drug was taken. If you have a headache after taking Viagra, it should go away fairly quickly. Men ages 65 years and older tend to get higher levels of Viagra in their blood after taking a dose than younger men do.
Having a higher level of the drug in your body could increase your risk of side effects. However, Viagra can sometimes cause priapism , which is a long-lasting and sometimes painful erection.
If you have an erection that lasts longer than 4 hours, you should immediately go to an emergency room or call Most of the mild side effects of Viagra either tend to go away within a few hours of taking your dose or can be easily relieved. For example, headaches, flushing, and dizziness can often be eased by lying down and resting. Avoiding alcohol will also help reduce these side effects. Headaches and sensitivity to light can also be improved by turning off any bright lights around you.
If you get indigestion after taking Viagra, try taking your dose of Viagra with a snack or light meal. Just be aware that if you do this, Viagra may take slightly longer to start working for you. This is especially true if you eat a high-fat meal with your dose. If your indigestion is bothersome, ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend medication to help reduce your discomfort. Also keep in mind that certain side effects occur more often with higher doses of Viagra. These side effects include headaches, flushing, indigestion, nasal congestion, and changes in your vision.
So if these side effects are a problem for you, talk with your doctor about taking a lower dosage of Viagra. For example, you should call your doctor right away if you have:. Generic versions of Viagra are available. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.
Viagra contains the active drug sildenafil. The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you.
Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. The typical dose of Viagra for erectile dysfunction ED is 50 mg. You can take this dose 30 minutes to 4 hours before you plan to have sexual activity. Your doctor may prescribe a different dosage of Viagra for you depending on several factors. If any of these factors apply to you, your starting dose might be 25 mg, which is lower than the typical recommended dose. But the maximum dose of Viagra is mg.
For example, people ages 65 years and older tend to get higher levels of Viagra in their blood after taking a dose. For example, they may recommend that you take 25 mg of the drug rather than 50 mg.
Viagra is a prescription medication that can have serious side effects. If you and your doctor determine that Viagra is safe and effective for you, you can likely take it for as long as you continue to need it.
Other drugs are available that can treat erectile dysfunction ED. Some may be a better fit for you than others. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. Natural and over-the-counter OTC products for treating ED are widely available, especially on the internet. This includes products that contain these ingredients either alone or in combination with other ingredients. And these products may cause harmful side effects.
Examples of products that contain one or more of these ingredients include Libido-Max and Extenze. You should also avoid products you can buy online without a prescription that claim either to be generic forms of sildenafil or to contain sildenafil. Sildenafil is the active drug in Viagra.
You may wonder how Viagra compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Viagra and Cialis are alike and different. Viagra contains the drug sildenafil , while Cialis contains the drug tadalafil. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. Viagra and Cialis are both approved to treat erectile dysfunction ED in males ages 18 years and older. In addition, Cialis is approved to treat symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH.
They can also include having a weak flow of urine or being unable to fully empty your bladder. While you can take Cialis just as needed for ED treatment, another option is to take a low dose of the drug regularly each day. This may help make sex more spontaneous for you. Viagra and Cialis both contain the same type of drug.
Therefore, these medications can cause very similar side effects. Below are examples of these side effects. These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with Viagra, with Cialis, or with both drugs when taken individually.
The following list contains examples of serious side effects that can occur with either Viagra or Cialis. The use of Viagra and Cialis in treating ED has been directly compared in several clinical studies. However, researchers found that men who took Cialis had improved confidence in their sexual ability.
So the men were more likely to prefer Cialis over Viagra. This is likely due to the long-lasting effect of Cialis, which allows men to have more spontaneous sex.
The study also found that men who took Cialis were more likely to have back or muscle pain than were men taking Viagra. But men taking Cialis were less likely to have flushing compared with men taking Viagra.
Viagra and Cialis are both brand-name drugs. Generic forms of both drugs are available. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics. According to estimates on GoodRx.
Here we look at how Viagra and sildenafil are alike and different. Viagra, which contains the active drug sildenafil, is a brand-name drug. But sildenafil is also available as a generic medication. A generic medication is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. Viagra is approved to treat erectile dysfunction ED in males ages 18 years and older. It comes as tablets that are taken by mouth.
Viagra is available in the following strengths:. Like Viagra, certain forms of sildenafil are approved to treat ED in males ages 18 years and older.
For example, sildenafil mg, mg, and mg tablets are approved for this use. In addition, sildenafil also comes as mg tablets. These forms of sildenafil are generic versions of a brand-name drug called Revatio. Like Revatio, these forms of sildenafil are used to treat a condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension PAH.
With PAH, you have high blood pressure in the artery between your heart and lungs. It also means that sildenafil and Viagra can cause the same side effects.
Viagra is a brand-name drug, while sildenafil is a generic form of Viagra. Like Cialis described above , Levitra is also prescribed for similar uses as Viagra. Here we look at how Viagra and Levitra are alike and different.
Viagra contains the drug sildenafil , while Levitra contains the drug vardenafil. Viagra and Levitra are both approved to treat erectile dysfunction ED in males ages 18 years and older.
The medications can help you get an erection for up to 4 hours after you take a dose. But neither drug should be taken more than once a day. Viagra and Levitra both contain the same type of drug. These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with Viagra, with Levitra, or with both drugs when taken individually. The following list contains examples of serious side effects that can occur with either Viagra or Levitra. The use of Viagra and Levitra in treating ED has been directly compared in several clinical studies and compared in several reviews of studies.
Viagra and Levitra are both brand-name drugs. Viagra is approved to treat erectile dysfunction ED in men. These messages cause certain chemicals to be released in your penis. One of these chemicals, called cyclic GMP, relaxes and widens certain blood vessels in your penis.
These actions allow blood to flow into the corpus cavernosum, which causes your penis to get hard and become erect. The condition can result from problems with messages being sent from your brain. ED can also result from problems with blood flow into your penis.
Viagra works to treat ED by helping you have and maintain an erection. Viagra is a type of drug called a phosphodiesterase type 5 PDE5 inhibitor. It works by inhibiting blocking the action of an enzyme called PDE5. An enzyme is a protein that helps chemical reactions to happen inside your body. This action improves blood flow to your penis and helps you to have and keep an erection.
However, some men find that if Viagra works to treat their erectile problem, it also increases their sexual confidence. And this may lead to an increased sex drive.
They may recommend that you try a different medication for your ED. Arousal may involve having sexual thoughts, looking at sexual images, masturbating, or engaging in foreplay. But if you feel anxious, nervous, depressed, or stressed, your body may not respond well to sexual stimulation. If this is the case, try to relax, make yourself comfortable, and take your time.
This is because consuming large amounts of alcohol can make it more difficult for you to get an erection. Instead, it belongs to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase type 5 PDE5 inhibitors.
A class of drugs describes a group of medications that work in a similar way. For instance, if one drug causes nausea, they might consider another drug. Viagra, Levitra, Cialis, and Stendra will not cure ED, but they may provide relief from its symptoms. There are many side effects and interactions to consider, but, with the right choice and correct use, studies show that these drugs can help a person to overcome ED and engage in sexual activity.
It is worth remembering, meanwhile, that none of these drugs will provide sexual stimulation. The person will need stimulation in order to have an erection. The only way to know which drug is best for you may be through trial and error. People should work directly with a doctor to track side effects and decide which drug is their best treatment option. A case study examines the damage that Viagra can potentially do to the retina.
In doses above recommended levels, the blue pill might make you see red. Could watermelon work as a natural remedy for erectile dysfunction in the same way as Viagra?
We look at the science and evidence behind this claim. Impotence is the inability to sustain a male erection. It can lead to a breakdown in relationships and cause embarrassment and depression. In this MNT…. Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, and Stendra: Which is best?
Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. Function Side effects and interactions Cost and availability Who should take them? Outlook Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, and Stendra are popular drugs for treating the symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
Other options are Levitra and Stendra. Side effects and interactions. Share on Pinterest People who may have a weak heart should avoid Levitra. Cost and availability. Who should take them? Share on Pinterest A doctor or pharmacist can help you choose a suitable option. Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes.
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