Do you Really Know What your Ed Drug Does?

Erectile dysfunction has for ages made men spend sleepless nights.... wait a moment; it has actually left no choice for many men other than sleeping in the nights. And keeping in mind the increased deformities that crop up in the male psyche as a result of inability to have a normal sex life, people from the earlier times tried to invent some kind of medication that could offer some sort of respite to such people.

There were some attempts at discovering some sort of medication that can be termed as herbal in the modern terms. These cures were made from the parts of the plants and herbs. Sometimes the parts of the animal body were also used to treat erectile dysfunction. But unfortunately the success rate of these drugs was very meager. Even after that all the ED cures that were discovered or invented were not completely satisfactory. Their effectiveness was always under a question mark.

It's only recently that effective ED drugs have been invented and as a result all the males have actually heaved a sigh of relief. Because, it has been proved that almost 90% of men go through erectile dysfunction, at some points of their lives. Hence even if a person is not going through ED there is no guarantee that he will not be liable to get the disease in the next phases of his life. So, the success of the oral erectile dysfunction drugs was like a lease of fresh air for the male breed as a whole.

It is altogether a different matter that the erectile dysfunction drugs are actually very expensive and are not accessible to a larger section of the people. It addition they are also frothed with a lot of side effects. Nevertheless these ED cures have been proved to be the most successful till date.

All of you must be familiar with the fact that Viagra was the first ED drug to be invented. After it two more ED drugs were invented and even they possess a good market share. Among these two one was Cialis and the other Levitra. They are offering quite tough competition to their famous precursor Viagra. All the ED drugs have some kind of specialty in them. The ED drug Levitra has got a very peculiar characteristic. In all the cases where Viagra have been unsuccessful, Levitra has been able to show results. Hence there is bound to be some kind of furore for the drug. Call it a co incidence or science but this capability of Levitra in showing results in the cases where Viagra failed has worked positively for the former. This piece of news generated a great publicity for the drug.

However there are people who dismiss the drug as ineffective in treating ED. But this question is very tricky. Firstly because it is not unnatural if Levitra doesn't show effects in a particular person. And secondly there is a misconception attached to all the ED drugs including Levitra. That is, people expect that the use of the ED drugs can cure their ED for good. But this is not the case. ED drugs like Levitra are meant to cure ED only momentarily. Hence the second reason is void and on its basis Levitra cannot be rejected as an inefficient ED drug. And if you are an ED patient then you must comply with the instructions of your doctor, if he has prescribed you to Buy Levitra you must order levitra only and no other drug. And if he tells you not to take any ED drug then please tag along his advice. Also if you buy levitra online, ensure that your Online Levitra Pharmacy is genuine and not fake.

Comparison Of Sexual Dysfunction Medications

Male sexual dysfunction is one of the most common health problems affecting men and is more common with increasing age. Chronic ED affects about 5% of men in their 40s and 15-25% of men by the age of 65. Transient ED and inadequate erection affect as many as 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70.

In around 95% of the cases, a suitable treatment can be found. Erectile dysfunction is treatable at any age, and awareness of this fact has been growing. More men have been seeking help and returning to normal sexual activity because of improved, successful treatments for erectile dysfunction.

Viagra, Levitra and Cialis

Currently, there are three oral medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra), and tadalafil (Cialis). All these agents block the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) and belong to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors.

Viagra was the first and is probably the most famous of the three PDE-5 inhibitors used to treat erectile dysfunction. Viagra was approved as an effective agent for treating erectile dysfunction in March 27, 1998. Viagra is manufactured by Pfizer, Inc.

Levitra was the second PDE-5 inhibitor to come to market in the United States, and it was approved by the FDA in August 19, 2003. Levitra is manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

Cialis was the third PDE-5 inhibitor to come to market and was approved by the FDA at the end of November 21, 2003. Cialis is manufactured by Lilly ICOS LLC.

The major advantage of PDE-5 inhibitors is that they do not cause an erection at inappropriate times, because they act only in response to sexual stimulation. If there is no sexual stimulation drug remains in the background. All three are taken orally prior to planned sexual activity, acting to increase blood flow in the penis in response to sexual stimulation. However, there are important differences between the three, differences that could influence safety, specificity, duration of action, adverse effects, and ultimately, public acceptance within this class of drug.

Mechanism of Action

PDE-5 inhibitors do not directly cause an erection of the penis, but they alter the body's response to sexual stimulation by enhancing the effect of the nitric oxide, a chemical that is normally released during stimulation. Nitric oxide causes relaxation of the muscles in the penis, which allows for better blood flow to the penile area.

Effectiveness of PDE-5 Inhibitors

All 3 PDE-5 inhibitors have demonstrated excellent efficacy. Viagra, at 84%, is slightly more effective than Cialis at 81% and Levitra at 80%.

Pharmaceutical Forms, Onset of Action and Duration of Effect

Viagra and Levitra differ only minimally in terms of their structure, while Cialis differs markedly from Viagra and Levitra in terms of its molecular structure, which is also reflected in pharmacokinetic differences.

Viagra: 25 mg, 50 mg 100 mg tablets

• Onset of action: 30 minutes (effect delayed if taken with food)
• Duration of action: 4 to 5 hours

Levitra: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg tablets

• Onset of action: 25 minutes (effect delayed by fatty meal)
• Duration of action: 4 to 5 hours

Cialis: 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg tablets

• Onset of action: 16-45 minutes (effect NOT delayed by food)
• Duration of action: 36 hours

All three drugs require sexual stimulation to be effective. Viagra should be taken on an empty stomach it works better if you do not eat a high-fat meal around the time you take it. Levitra may be slightly less effective if you eat a high-fat meal, but a moderate-fat meal does not reduce its effectiveness. Cialis works without regard to what you eat. Viagra and Levitra have similar half-lives, and onset and duration of action. Cialis has a slower onset of action and longer duration of action, which is attributed to its longer half-life.

Patients who wish for spontaneity may opt for Cialis, which may allow for successful intercourse up to 36 hours postdose, even though it takes longer to reach peak effect. The considerably longer duration of effect for Cialis will likely allow less frequent dosing and greater impulsiveness between partners, but also could potentially prolong adverse effects.

Dosage

The recommended dose for Viagra is 50 mg, and the physician may adjust this dose to 100 mg or 25 mg, depending on the patient. The recommended dose for either Levitra or Cialis is 10 mg, and the physician may adjust this dose to 20 mg if 10 mg is insufficient. A lower dose of 5 mg is available for patients who take other medicines or have conditions that may decrease the body's ability to use the drug. Levitra is also available in a 2.5 mg dose. None of these PDE-5 inhibitors should be used more than once a day.

Possible Side Effects
Although all three drugs are generally well tolerated, side effects are still possible.

Most common side effects:

• Viagra: facial flushing, headache, indigestion
• Levitra: facial flushing, headache
• Cialis: headache, indigestion

Less Common Side Effects:

• Viagra: altered vision, dizziness, nasal, congestion
• Levitra: indigestion, nausea, dizziness, nasal congestion
• Cialis: back pain, muscle aches, nasal congestion, facial flushing, dizziness

Precautions and Contraindications

All PDE-5 inhibitors are absolutely contraindicated in persons who take organic nitrates.

Alpha-blockers

• Viagra has precautionary labeling advising against taking 50 mg or 100 mg doses within four hours of taking a alpha-blocker. The 25 mg dose of Viagra has not been shown to significantly decrease blood pressure and in patients who take 25 mg of Viagra, use of any of the alpha-blockers is considered safe.
• Levitra is contraindicated in patients taking alpha-blockers.
• Cialis is contraindicated in patients taking alpha-blockers, except for tamsulosin (Flomax).

Since both Viagra and Levitra have moderate vasodilatory and hypotensive effects, they should not be given in the presence of marked arterial or orthostatic hypotension, and should only be administered with caution in aortic stenosis or hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Men who have had a heart attack or stroke within the past 6 months and those with certain medical conditions (e.g., uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe low blood pressure or liver disease, unstable angina) that make sexual activity inadvisable should not take Cialis. Dosages of the drug should be limited in patients with kidney or liver disorders.

Conclusions

The differences between the 3 drugs are not great. All appear to be effective and safe. Levitra has less side effects compared to Viagra and lasts about the same time as Viagra in the body. Cialis has few side effects and lasts longer in the body. This allows increased spontaneity and less frequent dosing than either Levitra or Viagra. However, the longer half-life of Cialis imposes increased risk for drug interactions.

Since it first became available in 1998, Viagra has helped improve the sex life of men and their partner's (over 20 million) worldwide. Amazingly, 9 tablets are dispensed every second universally. More studies have been carried out on Viagra than any other treatment for erection problems.

Sex with Viagra is commented on by most users as being fantastic. It enables them to get erections that last, and the erections then go away as they normally would. But, Viagra cannot cure erectile dysfunction, increase sexual desire or protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.

Although Viagra is a safe drug when used properly, there are certain risks and complications. Before using the drug you will have to meet with your doctor to establish eligibility.

About Cialis

Cialis contains the main active ingredient Tadalafil - which is the main inhibitor of PDE-5 enzyme. It is believed to cause lesser side effects when compared to Viagra and Levitra. Like other medicines, Cialis also has the tendency to develop some side effects. Cialis side effects are generally mild and go away within a few hours of use. The following side effects may occur after using Cialis 'weekend pill':

• Headache
• Dyspepsia
• Dizziness
• Flushing nasal congestion
• Back pain
• Muscle aches
• Stomach disorder

About Levitra

Levitra (also called Vardenafil HCl) is a prescription pill, similar to Viagra, which helps men with erectile dysfunction (impotence). It is not a cure for ED. It has to be taken each time you want to have sex.

Levitra is not an aphrodisiac. It does not make you desire sex, it only allows you to get an erection if you are sexually stimulated. It works on the body, not on the mind. People who take Levitra are surprised that it does not make them feel any different until they receive some sexual stimulation. Then they notice the difference.

Levitra's strong point is that it is very selective in attacking PDE-5 without affecting other isoenzymes. This allows a smaller dose of Levitra to have the same effect as a larger dose of Viagra (an average Levitra dose is 10mg while an average Viagra dose is 50mg), even though the two drugs essentially function the same way.

Difference Between Viagra - Cialis - Levitra

Viagra scores over its counterparts in the world of medication when it comes to erectile dysfunction, and should definitely at least be one of your top options.

Viagra is a hugely successful drug. Therefore the other drug companies developed different chemicals to block the PDE5 enzyme and created two new drugs: namely Cialis (tadalafil) and Levitra (vardenafil).

Because Cialis and Levitra block the PDE5 enzyme, they work exactly the same way as Viagra. Because they block PDE5 with different chemicals, however, there are some important differences between the three drugs. For example:

• Only Viagra causes color-vision problems.
• Cialis causes muscle aches in about 5 percent of patients.
• Viagra and Levitra last about four hours in the bloodstream. While Cialis stays in the bloodstream much longer (it has a 17.5-hour half life) and can therefore be effective for more than a day.