While the majority of the world is still under the blanket of winter, spring has sprung and with it a host of new health issues and sexual problems.
Amongst the many problems that spring brings, one of the most popular subjects of conversation is impotence, the inability to get or keep an erection suitable for sexual intercourse. While not necessarily a disease in and of itself, impotence is often a consequence of other diseases or conditions such as diabetes or cancer, and in these instances can be exceptionally frustrating. On an individual level, the embarrassment and isolation that come with this condition can certainly contribute to a low self-esteem and a feeling of inferiority that may not be beneficial to one’s mental or physical health.
In this article we will compare and contrast the two most well known treatments for impotence, namely Viagra and Cialis. We will first look at what each of these treatments is, before discussing the differences in terms of efficacy, side-effects, and more.
What Is Viagra?
Viagra is the common name for sildenafil, which is a drug that enables men with erectile dysfunction to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. In this way, it is a PDE5 inhibitor (phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor), which is a type of medication used to treat erectile dysfunction. The drug is endorsed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this use, and has been prescribed to over 600,000 people worldwide.
In clinical trials it was shown to improve erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and also those who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In most cases, the improvement in erectile dysfunction was accompanied by enhanced sexual satisfaction and desire. It is important to note here that while Viagra can be extremely effective for men with erectile dysfunction, it should not be viewed as a one-stop-shop solution for all sexual problems, particularly in cases where the dysfunction is not caused by physical problems such as an injury or a medical condition. It can also be extremely helpful in conjunction with psychotherapy or counseling for those who feel that their impotence is related to emotional problems or stress.
What Is Cialis?
Cialis is another medication that enables men with erectile dysfunction to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. It is also a PDE5 inhibitor, and like Viagra it has been clinically shown to be effective in treating erectile dysfunction in cases similar to that of Viagra, as well as in a range of other medical conditions. Like Viagra, Cialis has been prescribed to more than 600,000 people worldwide, and is endorsed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this use.
Cialis is a newer drug than Viagra, and was introduced to the market in early 2006. While it can be equally effective, it has a more recent, and therefore potentially improved, clinical trial record. This may also explain why it is recommended for use in cases where erectile dysfunction is a consequence of neuropathy, or nerve damage caused by diabetes or chemotherapy. It is also frequently prescribed for patients who undergo regular dialysis treatment due to kidney problems. Like Viagra, Cialis can be extremely helpful when used in conjunction with psychotherapy or counseling for those who feel that their impotence is related to emotional problems or stress.
Efficacy
In terms of efficacy, Viagra is consistently cited as being more effective than Cialis in treating erectile dysfunction. One cause of this may be that Viagra is a higher concentration of sildenafil than Cialis (50mg vs 20mg), which allows for more precise dosing and possibly better absorption into the bloodstream. The precise mechanism by which sildenafil achieves its therapeutic effects is still being investigated, but it is known to promote relaxation of the smooth muscles within the walls of the blood vessels, which in turn leads to increased blood flow into the penis and thus an erection. This is how both drugs work to provide support for men with erectile dysfunction in terms of achieving and maintaining an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. Both drugs have been shown to be highly effective in treating erectile dysfunction in terms of increasing the frequency of erections and the size of the erections as well.
Side-Effects
Another important factor to consider when choosing a treatment for erectile dysfunction is the side-effects that accompany it. Both Viagra and Cialis are safe to use when administered by mouth, although they should not be used if one is allergic to sulfonamides or nitrates. Sulfonamides are a class of medication commonly used to treat infections. Nitrates are medications commonly used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).
The most commonly reported side-effect of Viagra is headache, which can be caused by increased blood flow into the head as a result of increased blood flow into the penis. Some men have also complained of persistent ear ache, which is another potential side-effect of the drug. While more than acceptable for men with erectile dysfunction, these are side-effects that could be significantly reduced with the use of a better medication, which perhaps explains why Viagra is becoming less popular every year.
The most commonly reported side-effect of Cialis is headache, which occurs in approximately 2% of all men who take the drug. However, this percentage is likely to be higher amongst those men who have a history of migraine or frequent headaches, or amongst men who are also taking prescription medications for other conditions such as high blood pressure or heart disease. Like Viagra, Cialis can also cause dizziness, insomnia, and upset stomach, although these are less common than in men taking Viagra. It is also worth noting that since Cialis is a relatively new drug, the amount of clinical data available is still relatively small, and so it is hard to know for sure what the long-term side-effects of the drug will be. In terms of long-term adverse reactions, Cialis is probably less harmful than Viagra, but this cannot necessarily be said for either of the two medications.
Price
The price that men with erectile dysfunction have to pay for treatment with Viagra and Cialis is relatively high, even when considering that these are prescription medications. The daily cost of Viagra and Cialis can be in excess of $30-$40, which is approximately three times the cost of an average prescription drug, and this comes without considering the cost of the office visits and the additional medications that may be prescribed alongside. This is why many insured men with erectile dysfunction are turning to over-the-counter treatments, which can be bought for as little as $1-$2 per dose and which offer many of the same benefits without the need for a physician’s prescription.
Recommendation
Overall, the recommendation for men with erectile dysfunction who are looking for a quick fix is to begin with low-cost, over-the-counter treatments such as Alprostadil (the inactive chemical component of prostaglandin) or Cialis, and only if these treatments are ineffective or poorly tolerated to move on to Viagra. It is also important to keep in mind that while these medications can be extremely helpful for men with erectile dysfunction, they are still treatments and therefore imperfect solutions and should not be viewed as a replacement for professional help or counseling. In most cases, a trial and error process will be required to find the right medication for the individual patient, and this can be extremely time consuming and frustrating. As always, education and counseling on the part of the physician or other health professional can be extremely useful here to minimize the potential for long-term damage.