Viagra / generic Viagra
Sildenafil is the generic form of the brand Viagra®. Both medications work similarly in the body.
Viagra® is a type of medication known as a PDE5 inhibitor that is used to treat erectile dysfunction. It comes in several different doses and is taken as-needed.
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Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please talk to a doctor.
Overview
Viagra® should be taken without food 30-60 minutes before sex and its effects last up to 6-8 hours.
Serious side effects include an erection lasting more than 4 hours, sudden vision loss in one or both eyes, and sudden hearing decrease or loss. If these occur, seek medical attention immediately.
Talk to your doctor about your medical conditions and your medications before taking Viagra®. Do not take Viagra® if you are allergic to its ingredients or if you are already taking nitrates (such as nitroglycerin), street drugs called “poppers” (such as amyl nitrate, amyl nitrite, butyl nitrate), or guanylate cyclase stimulators (such as riociguat).
What is Viagra®?
Viagra® (nicknamed “the little blue pill”) is a drug that is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). It comes in three doses, 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg. The 50 mg dose is the most commonly used dose, although some people may benefit from higher or lower doses. Viagra® is part of a “family” of medicines used to treat ED called phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i). Other drugs in this family include Cialis (tadalafil), Levitra (vardenafil), and Stendra (avanafil). All of these drugs have the same mechanism of action, but there are subtle differences that may lead the doctor to recommend one drug over the other based on your treatment goals.
How does Viagra® work?
1. In order to understand how Viagra® works to treat ED, it’s important to first understand the basics of how erections work.
2. cGMP causes the corpora cavernosa to relax. Allowing blood to rush into the Cavernosal arteries.
3. While blood rushes into the penis, the veins that drain blood from the penis get compressed causing the increased blood to be trapped in the penis causing an erection.
4. An enzyme called phosphodiesterase-5 breaks down cGMP leading the penis to return to its flaccid state.
5. PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5i), like Viagra®, block this enzyme, leading to higher levels of cGMP and improving the ability to obtain and maintain an erection.
How long does Viagra® take to work?
Viagra® is a short acting medication with a rapid onset. It should be taken 30–60 minutes before sex, and it reaches peak blood levels in 60 minutes on average. Fat in a meal can delay the effects of Viagra® and also decrease the amount that is absorbed. Remember that Viagra® will not give you a spontaneous erection without sexual stimulation.
How long does Viagra® last?
Viagra® is a short acting drug with an average half-life of 4–5 hours, which means that half the medicine is gone from the body after 4–5 hours in healthy people. The time that it takes to eliminate Viagra® may be prolonged in older people and people with liver or kidney disease and the drug may work longer in these people.
Common side effects of Viagra®
The most common side effects of Viagra® include headaches, facial flushing, stuffy nose, and upset stomach. Serious side effects that are rare include an erection that will not resolve even after 3–4 hours (priapism), hearing loss, which can be sudden, and vision loss in one or both eyes. For more information about side effects, see Viagra® side effects here.
How to get Viagra®
The FDA requires a prescription for Viagra® and other ED medications, including their generic forms. It may be possible to buy Viagra® online without a prescription, but that’s not advisable because you don’t know exactly what the medication you are buying is. It’s also important for a healthcare provider to review your health history to see if medication is right for you. Getting a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider is the only safe and legal option to get the medication. Completing an online visit through Roman can connect you with a US-licensed healthcare professional who will review your information and prescribe medication if it is right for you.
Can I get Viagra® online?
Yes, you can get a prescription through a Roman online visit for Erectile Dysfunction or an online visit for Premature Ejaculation, if determined appropriate by a U.S. licensed physician.
Does Roman offer genuine Viagra®?
Roman offers genuine, branded Viagra® and generic Viagra® to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in 25, 50, or 100 mg dosages. Roman also offers sildenafil citrate in 20 mg tablets, which can be prescribed by doctors off-label to treat ED in doses ranging between 20 mg and 100 mg if they find it medically appropriate to do so. The active ingredient, sildenafil citrate, is identical in both medications.
Important Safety Information
What is generic Viagra®?
Viagra® was originally patented by Pfizer and brought to the US market in 1998. It is FDA-approved to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). After the patent expired, the FDA gave permission to other drug companies to market a generic version of Viagra®. The FDA requires generic drugs to be bioequivalent to the brand name version. This means that they act the same way in the body and are expected to produce the same effects as the original brand name drug. Generic drugs are generally much cheaper than the original brand name drug, and most drugs prescribed in the US are generic.
What is sildenafil citrate?
Sildenafil citrate is the chemical name of the active ingredient in Viagra®. When sildenafil is sold in 25, 50, or 100 mg dosages, it’s called Viagra® or it is the generic for Viagra®. When it is sold in a 20 mg dosage, it is called Revatio or it is the generic for Revatio. Revatio is FDA approved for treating pulmonary hypertension. Both Viagra® and Revatio contain the exact same ingredient (i.e., sildenafil citrate), they simply differ in the strength in which they are produced. Physicians on the Roman platform have the discretion to prescribe 20 mg sildenafil citrate tablets for ED in doses ranging between 20 mg and 100 mg if they believe that it is an appropriate course of treatment for a particular patient. Sildenafil citrate 20 mg tablets for ED is an off-label usage of the medication. It is up to the medical judgment of the doctor to decide if off-label treatment is appropriate for a patient based on his unique medical history, symptoms, and preferences. The Roman Pharmacy Network is able to fill prescriptions for sildenafil citrate 20 mg tablets that are issued by a physician on the Roman platform.
How to take Viagra®?
Ideally, Viagra® should be taken 30–60 minutes before you plan to have sex in order to get the best results. It needs time to work, so taking it too close to the time you need it may make it more difficult to get an erection strong enough for satisfying sex.
Can I use Viagra® with alcohol?
While it’s generally safe to drink alcohol with Viagra® in moderation, alcohol may make it more difficult to get an erection. People who drink alcohol and take ED meds might also experience more side effects. One study showed that over 45% of men who took Viagra® with alcohol for recreational purposes had a higher risk of side effects, including facial flushing, headaches, chest pain, changes in vision, and lightheadedness.
Is Viagra® affected by food?
Yes, particularly if you’ve had a heavy, high-fat meal. Try to avoid taking Viagra® on a full stomach. A full stomach can delay your body’s absorption of Viagra®, meaning your erection might come later than expected, be less strong than you expected, and/or not last as long as you would’ve liked.
Recommended dosage of Viagra®
Viagra® pills are available in three doses for erectile dysfunction (ED): 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg. Your healthcare provider can help determine the best dosage for you, depending on your medical history and any medications you’re currently taking. ED meds aren’t one-size-fits-all, and different people have different needs. For some, the 25 mg Viagra® dosage is all they need to have a great experience. Others need to take more medication to achieve the same result. The goal is to find the smallest amount of medicine that provides a satisfactory erection.
Can I take Viagra® more than once per day?
Viagra® is typically taken an hour before you want an erection, but you should not take it more than once in any 24-hour period. Taking it too often can result in a dangerous drop in blood pressure or other serious side effects.
What happens if I overdose on Viagra®?
Taking more than the recommended amount of Viagra® or sildenafil citrate greatly increases your risk of side effects, including severe ones that can be dangerous, such as severe low blood pressure or an erection that won’t go away even after 4 or more hours (priapism). Never take more than the amount prescribed to you by your doctor. If you have any severe side effects after taking more than the recommended amount, or even after taking the amount of medicine prescribed to you, seek out emergency medical attention immediately.
What does Viagra® cost?
Branded Viagra® can start at $70 per dose on our platform. The generic version of Viagra® (sildenafil), can cost as little as $4 per dose if prescribed by a healthcare professional.
Are there similar OTC drugs like Viagra®?
Viagra® and other erectile dysfunction medications are only available with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider in the United States. There is not currently an OTC medication that works the same way as Viagra®. You might find websites that claim to offer Viagra® without a prescription, but these sellers are untrustworthy, and using the medications they offer can be dangerous. With Roman, you never need to worry about what’s actually in your pills.
Is Viagra® safe?
Viagra® is a safe and effective treatment for erectile dysfunction when taken as directed by a healthcare provider. Before deciding whether you should be prescribed Viagra®, your healthcare provider will check if you have any underlying health conditions and if you’re taking certain other medications that could make Viagra® less safe for you.
Is buying Viagra® online safe?
Buying medication online can have risks when the source is not reputable. One study showed that 77% of Viagra® sold online was counterfeit. Counterfeit PDE5i can have variable amounts of the active drug ranging from 0%–200+% of the drug. In cases where the active ingredient is present in lower amounts than expected, this can mean lack of effectiveness even though the same dose of active drug may work well in a given individual. In cases where much more active drug than listed is included, there is a higher potential for side effects, including dangerous ones like extremely low blood pressure or an erection that won’t go away even after 4 or more hours (priapism). It is also common for counterfeit drugs to contain harmful ingredients like talcum powder, commercial paint, and printer ink.
With Roman, you can always be sure you are getting genuine medication with active ingredients in the correct amount without harmful additives. Roman drugs are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies that are regulated by the FDA. In fact you will likely find many of the same manufacturers we use in your local pharmacy. With Roman, you never need to worry about what’s actually in the pills you are taking.
What is off-label usage of medication?
Roman-affiliated physicians have the discretion to prescribe 20mg Sildenafil for ED if they believe that it is an appropriate course of treatment for a particular patient. 20mg Sildenafil for ED is an off-label usage of the medication, and it is up to the medical judgment of the doctor to decide if such treatment is appropriate based on each patient’s unique medical history, symptoms, and preferences. The Roman Pharmacy Network is able to fill prescriptions for 20mg Sildenafil that are issued by a Roman-affiliated physician.
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