Want to know which erectile dysfunction medication is right for you? See how to choose. (2023)

FAQs

How do I choose the right ED medication? ›

The American College of Physicians recommends looking at how quickly the medication takes effect, how long it lasts, the side effects and the price. Note that the length of time the medication is effective does not refer to the duration of the erection itself.

The bottom line

Sildenafil (Viagra) is by far the most affordable medication for ED and the one with the longest safety record. It's good for occasional use, but be sure to take it on an empty stomach. Tadalafil (Cialis) lasts longer, making it useful if you have a more active and regular sex life.

Which ED medication causes the fewest side effects? Stendra has the fewest side effects. Viagra, although the most well-known, has the most side effects.

Sildenafil (Viagra) is often the first drug your doctor offers. It's been on the market longest and its side effects and the medications and foods it interacts with are well known.

So to answer the above question, no, Viagra would not necessarily give a stronger erection than Cialis, and vice versa. However, Cialis will last longer and can help achieve one or more erections for up to 36 hours. This is considerably longer than Viagra, which is typically effective for 4-6 hours.

Vardenafil (Levitra) is almost 10 times more biochemically potent than sildenafil, therefore a lower dose is needed to facilitate the penile erection, potentially resulting in less side effects. Selectivity is the ability of the drug to attach to the specific enzyme PDE 5 found in penile tissues.

How long does Cialis last? On the other hand, the effects of Cialis last noticeably longer than the effects of Viagra, normally up to 36 hours. That's a full 1.5 days! Don't be alarmed, though: That doesn't mean you'll have an erection for 1.5 days straight.

Three of the most popular erectile dysfunction drugs on the market are sildenafil (active ingredient in Viagra®, generic Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra®) and tadalafil (Cialis). These are all first-generation treatments for ED that were introduced in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Losing an erection or being unable to become erect often results from nerves, anxiety, or using alcohol or other drugs. Sometimes men worry about performance, and sometimes they're anxious about whether or not having intercourse is the right decision, or whether they're with the right partner.

What medications make ED worse? ›

Tadalafil (Cialis) is one of the most popular erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs. Its major appeal? The drug comes in low-dose versions that can be taken daily. This means you can have sex at any time, rather than needing to take a pill from time to time as needed like other ED brands.

This is usually caused by stress, tiredness or drinking too much alcohol, and it's nothing to worry about. It can also be a side effect of some medicines. If erectile dysfunction happens often, it may be caused by a condition such as: high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

While there is no definite age at which male ejaculation ceases, it has been suggested that it may happen when a man reaches his late 40s or early 50s. It is important to note, however, that this is not a universal rule and some men may continue to ejaculate at a later age.

Safety. Side effects for either drug are rare but not unheard of. As Cialis and Viagra are both PDE-5 inhibitors, they have similar side effects; although you may find that because Cialis is effective for longer, any side effects you experience may also last for longer.

Effectiveness of all PDE5 inhibitors is similar; although reported effectiveness of Viagra, at 84% is slightly higher than that of Cialis at 81%. However, more men prefer Cialis because of its longer duration of effect.

They found that treatment with Cialis (10 or 20 milligrams taken as needed) was associated with significant increase in ejaculatory and orgasmic function across all levels of severity of ED, EJD and OD, compared to use of a placebo agent.

However, if you have erectile dysfunction, Viagra's effects on your sexual performance can provide a confidence boost or make sex more enjoyable. In some cases, using Viagra might not make your erection develop faster or become firmer than usual, but might make it easier for you to maintain an erection during sex.

In this case, Cialis may keep working for up to 36 hours in helping you have and maintain erections during that time. However, if you take Cialis each day for either benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or ED, you'll always have medication in your system. Therefore, it will continue to work throughout the day.

Does Cialis make you hard all day? ›

Compared with other ED drugs, Cialis lasts longer, working for up to 36 hours. But that doesn't mean a continuous erection for 36 hours. It means that the medicine enhances your ability to get hard over the course of 36 hours.

Taking 40 mg of Cialis could be dangerous and raise the risk of side effects such as a sudden drop in blood pressure and priapism. The typical dose is 10 mg for occasional use and 2.5 or 5 mg for daily use. The typical maximum dose of Cialis for ED is 20 mg once a day.

The most common side effects with Cialis are: headache, indigestion, back pain, muscle aches, flushing, and stuffy or runny nose. These side effects usually go away after a few hours. Men who get back pain and muscle aches usually get it 12 to 24 hours after taking Cialis.

Love coffee or tea? Great! A 2005 review showed that caffeine may improve blood flow and relax the muscles that help you get and keep an erection. Try to keep it to black coffee, unsweetened tea, and caffeinated drinks without sweeteners.

It depends on the type of erectile dysfunction (ED). You can still get morning erections with 'psychogenic ED' – Some people have erection problems because of factors such as performance anxiety, relationship problems, being over-tired, or they've had too much alcohol. This type of ED is called psychogenic ED.

What is the fastest way to cure erectile dysfunction at home? ›

Oral medications

Sildenafil (Viagra) Tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis) Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn) Avanafil (Stendra)

The 'as required' Tadalafil (generic Cialis) has an advantage over Sildenafil in that it lasts a lot longer – up to 36 hours (compared with 4-5 hours for Sildenafil).

20mg is the maximum dose of Cialis and 100mg is the maximum dose of Viagra, meaning your healthcare provider may suggest that you use 100mg of Viagra if you're prescribed Cialis and want to change medications. Ultimately, Cialis and Viagra are different medications that treat the same condition.

Cialis has comfortably the longest effectiveness period of any erectile dysfunction drug on the market.

Being sexually aroused is an important step: sexual stimulation is required, and Cialis won't cause the penis to become erect just by taking the drug. The same is true for Viagra and any other PDE5 inhibitors. It's very rare to experience a persistent erection that won't go away after taking Cialis.

Generic Cialis, or Tadalafil, is the same as Cialis in terms of its active ingredient (tadalafil), its effectiveness and side effects. The difference you may see is in the cost, with generic medicines tending to be less expensive.

Vardenafil (Levitra) is more selective than sildenafil and tadalafil (Cialis) to PDE5, which again means a lower dose is needed with potentially less side effects.

found no difference in penile size between pre and postoperative measurements with the use of full dose PDE5-I on demand (8). We found a significant decrease in all penile measurements in control patients (not using Tadalafil) at 3rd postoperative month when compared with preoperative measurements (p = 0.001).

Is 100 mg of Cialis too much? ›

The maximum recommended dosage of Cialis is 20 mg once per day. Taking a dose of Cialis that's higher than recommended could increase your risk for side effects. These can include serious side effects such as drops in blood pressure or priapism (a painful erection that won't go away).

The typical maximum dose of Cialis for ED is 20 mg once a day. If a doctor has prescribed Cialis for pulmonary arterial hypertension, you may be advised to take two 20-mg doses a day. But taking that much of the medication should be done only under a doctor's guidance.