Viagra is one of the most popular and best-selling medications for erectile dysfunction, heart disease, and blood pressure. As a result, many drugstores and online retailers offer a wide range of products that contain this active ingredient.
While all of these products effectively help their respective consumers, not all are created equal. In fact, some are much more effective and reliable than others. If you’re not familiar, let’s take a quick look at the three best-selling and most popular pharmaceutical products in the US as of 2018.
Schering-Plough (SP)
Schering-Plough, or SP, is the brand name for the combination drug Viagra and Cialis, both of which are made by a German company called Boehringer Ingelheim. As the name suggests, this product is sourced from the merger between Schering and Plough, two leading pharmaceutical companies in the US. This combination drug is currently available in a number of different doses, from 50 milligrams (for mild cases of erectile dysfunction) to 100 milligrams (for more severe cases).
The pill combines an inhibitor of PDE5 with a phosphodiesterase type 2 inhibitor, enhancing nitric oxide production in the body and helping to improve erectile function. While both of its component parts are highly effective on their own, the combination of the two is even more potent.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
GlaxoSmithKline, or GSK, is another highly popular brand name for Viagra, this time specifically designed for men with low self-esteem. Dubbed the ‘fountain of happiness’, this medication is also available in a form suitable for oral consumption and is indicated for use in cases of erectile dysfunction. While not as effective as SP, GSK is approximately 7% more potent. Like most other generic medications, GSK is also relatively inexpensive and can be found for as little as $3 per pill.
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)
Bristol-Myers Squibb, or BMS, is the brand name for the medication Viagra. Like GlaxoSmithKline, BMS is also available in both oral and injectable forms, and it’s indicated to treat erectile dysfunction. The most popular and cheapest version of Viagra is known as ‘generic Viagra’. While the medication is highly effective, the prices associated with this product are extremely high, making it out of reach for many people. Fortunately, BMS also offers an alternative called ‘brand Viagra’. This option is the same as generic Viagra, but at a much more affordable price point of $35 for a 30-day supply (as opposed to $94 for generic).
The main difference between brand and generic versions of Viagra is their ingredients. While both contain the active pharmaceutical ingredient sildenafil citrate, the brand version also contains the compounds propylene glycol and ethanol as well as the flavoring agent menthol. These compounds are known as excipients and serve to modify the way Viagra interacts with the body. Excipients are not harmful by themselves, but they can affect the way a medication functions depending on what else is in it. For example, menthol has been shown to significantly enhance the vasodilator properties of Viagra when combined with the drug.
Tadalafil
The newer generation of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors, or PDE-5is, represent a major advancement in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. While older models of PDE5 inhibitors, such as sildenafil citrate, are suitable for oral use, the newest PDE5 medications, or tadalafil, require no oral intake at all since they’re available in a number of different formulations, including an injection.
This class of drug is more effective than Viagra or any of its generic counterparts, particularly when administered as a prescribed treatment for erectile dysfunction. In fact, clinical studies have shown that tadalafil is more effective than Viagra at raising blood pressure and heart rate in men with cardiovascular disease. Moreover, tadalafil is highly selective in its action, meaning that it affects only the muscles lining the blood vessels, and not the rest of the body’s tissues, making it a safer and more reliable choice for people with heart problems. Finally, tadalafil is approximately 40% more potent than Viagra, making it the most effective drug of this type.
In conclusion, SP, GSK, and BMS are three of the best and most popular pharmaceutical companies in the US. While all of their products are highly effective, if you’re looking for the best value-for-money option, then consider tadalafil, which is more effective and less expensive than any of the above options.