Article 6-
Viagra,
Cialis, or Levitra?
So you have decided that you
are going to buy a PDE-5 inhibitor to treat your
erectile dysfunction problem, but you are not
sure which one would be right for you. The three
that you have to choose from are Viagra (sildenafil,
Pfizer), Cialis (tadalafil, Lilly/ICOS) and
Levitra (vardinafil, Bayer). These three
drugs are the only FDA approved drugs to
treat erectile dysfunction. All three work in
the same way to preserve high levels of the
substance cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate) that
is produced when a man is sexually aroused. As long
as there are high levels of cGMP an ample amount of
blood flows to the penis and an erection can be
sustained. PDE-5 (phosphodiesterase-5) is the enzyme
that is responsible for breaking down cGMP, so the
idea is to inhibit the introduction of this enzyme
when an erection is desired. This can be
accomplished with all three of the aforementioned
products. However, there are some differences that
exist between them that should be considered before
you make your purchase.
There has never been a
head-to-head clinical comparison of these three
drugs, and this is due mainly to the fact that
Cialis and Levitra are still relative
newcomers to the world of PDE-5 inhibitors.
Viagra on the other hand has been on the market
for many years, and there have been over 30 million
men treated with this drug and thousands of
peer-reviewed articles written. Although there has
never been an officially recognized comparison with
these three drugs together, all three have been
studied separately, and the results of these studies
have yielded almost identical findings.
First, let’s talk about the
similarities in these three drugs. The efficacy is
approximately 70% with all three. Most men have
successful results. Most importantly, they all
appear to be safe as long as they are taken while
following the proper instructions and guidelines.
There are certain similar precautions that should be
taken before using any of these drugs.
1. Tell your Doctor:
·
About any allergies to medications.
·
About any prescription or non-prescription drugs
that you are currently taking, as well as any
dietary or herbal supplements.
·
About any surgeries you are planning to have in the
future.
·
About any nitroglycerin or long-acting nitrate you
are taking for chest pains (may cause dangerously
low blood pressure when taken with a PDE-5
inhibitor).
·
About any alpha-blockers you are taking for prostate
or blood pressure problems (may cause dangerously
low blood pressure when taken with a PDE-5
inhibitor).
2. Read the instructions on the label carefully and
follow them exactly as instructed.
3. Do not take any of these drugs more than once a
day.
4. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain anything
you do not understand.
The side effects that are
associated with Viagra, Cialis and
Levitra are pretty much the same. The following
side-effects can occur with some men, but they are
not common:
-
Headache
-
Upset stomach
-
Flushing (a warm feeling)
-
Nasal congestion
-
Changes in vision
-
Back pain (mostly with Cialis)
Most of the time these side effects are mild, but if
severe forms occur it is recommended that you
contact your doctor.
If any of the following symptoms occur after taking
one of these PDE-5 inhibitor drugs it is recommended
that you seek emergency treatment at a hospital:
-
Severe rash
-
An erection that is painful
-
A prolonged erection that lasts
more than 4 hours.
-
A fainting incident
-
Any kind of chest pain
-
Burning or itching while
urinating
While the differences between
these three FDA approved drugs are subtle,
there is one major difference that sets Cialis apart
from Viagra and Levitra. The effects of Viagra last
about four hours. Levitra lasts about five hours.
However, the effects of Cialis on the other hand can
last anywhere from 17-36 hours, which is the reason
why it is often called “super Viagra” or the
“weekender” erection drug. A man can take one 10mg
pill on Friday and still be experiencing the effects
on Sunday. This however does not mean that he will
have an erection for the entire weekend. Cialis
requires a man to be sexually stimulated to take
effect, so an erection will only be obtained when he
is thinking about sex. This is also the case with
Viagra and Levitra.
There is one other difference that sets Cialis
apart from Viagra and Levitra, and it
is in the absorption rate. Viagra and Levitra absorb
fairly rapidly in the blood stream. It takes between
30-120 minutes for these drugs to take effect. The
absorption rate of Cialis is much faster, at about
15-30 minutes. While the absorption rate of Cialis
is faster than the other two drugs, they are all
highly protein bound drugs (96%). In plain terms
this means that they will absorb faster when taken
with a high protein meal. If you take them with a
meal that has a high fat content, the absorption
rate will be reduced.
One side effect that has been
reported to occur with Viagra users that does not
occur with the other two drugs is a tendency to
experience a slight change in vision that causes the
user to see things with a slightly bluish tint or
hue. This effect goes away once the drug is out of
the system.
All three of these FDA approved drugs can be
purchased at any local pharmacy or at a US
licensed pharmacy on the Internet. Online
pharmacies make it easy to buy prescription
drugs online and they eliminate the
embarrassment factor. If you do go the online
pharmacy route then make sure it is a US
licensed pharmacy that you are purchasing your
medicine from to ensure quality and security is high
on their priority list. US licensed pharmacies
are they only online pharmacies that you
should use to buy your prescription drugs online.
Viagra, Cialis and Levitra are the best thing that
ever happened to any man who is experiencing
erectile dysfunction.They are safe, and they are
the only PDE-5 inhibitors that are FDA approved
drugs. The benefits far outweigh the detrimental
effects of using one of these drugs. The side
effects are usually minimal and mild with most men.
As long as these drugs are taken as prescribed
following all of the instructions and guidelines
closely, there are very minimal negative effects.
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Copyright 2007. Michael P. Connelly
