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What to buy sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra) or tadalafil (Cialis)?

// July 10th, 2010 // Erectile Dysfunction

Vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis)

which is better cialis or viagra

The success of Viagra has interested many pharmaceutical companies and there are now two new drugs, which are the same type of therapy as Viagra. They are called vardenafil (Levitra), marketed by Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline; and tadalafil (Cialis), developed by a technology company called ICOS and marketed on a worldwide basis by Eli Lilly.

Levitra and Cialis have the same advantages and disadvantages as Viagra, discussed previously, so the rest of this chapter will try to explain some of the differences between the three therapies.

Now there are other treatments like Viagra on the market perhaps I should try one of the others? Which one should I start on?

As you would expect with second-generation drugs, they do have advantages over Viagra. However, Viagra works and has no significant side effects for most men. Therefore, you will only find out which treatment is best for you by trying them and seeing which one works best

Each of the three treatments has its own strengths and weaknesses and your doctor or nurse will be able to discuss these with you. The balance will be an individual one between the potential advantages of the newer medications (Cialis and Levitra) compared with the great clinical experience that doctors now have with Viagra.

Do Cialis and Levitra work in the same way as Viagra?

Yes. Cialis and Levitra act in the same way as Viagra by blocking an enzyme called phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5). This helps the smooth muscles in the penis relax and widen, allowing more blood to enter. Also similar to Viagra, there needs to be sexual stimulation for the drug to be effective. They are 'facilitators' of sexual activity not 'initiators', i.e. they are not aphrodisiacs.

Do Cialis and Levitra work in the same way as Viagra?

Yes. Cialis and Levitra act in the same way as Viagra by blocking an enzyme called phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5). This helps the smooth muscles in the penis relax and widen, allowing more blood to enter. Also similar to Viagra, there needs to be sexual stimulation for the drug to be effective. They are 'facilitators' of sexual activity not 'initiators', i.e. they are not aphrodisiacs.

Is any one of these drags better than the others?

Some effort has been made by reviewers and by pharmaceutical companies to compare data from different clinical trials (with different patient populations) and conclude that Drug A is superior to Drug B for a given population. Such a conclusion must be treated with some reservation until direct comparative studies are done.

At present all that can be said conclusively is that Viagra, Cialis and Levitra are all very effective and very safe drugs for men with ED.

I have been taking Viagra for some time now. Should I change from Viagra to one of the new tablets?

The answer to this question is one that will be different for each man individually. For some, if Viagra has been successful and they are having no serious side effects, they will see no reason to change their medication. However, for others, there will be the urge to experiment and to try the newer compounds to see if they are better.

Do you think the effects of Viagra could be enhanced by taking Cialis or Levitra in combination?

There have been no clinical trials so far looking at the safely or the effectiveness of such combinations, and therefore it cannot be recommended that you try these drugs in combination at this stage. Take your doctor's advice — don't experiment with medicines!

I know that Viagra has been used by some women. Would Levitra or Cialis help female sexual problems?

It is very likely that these drugs will help some women with sexual problems, as Viagra has done. However, at this stage there have been no research trials reported of women taking these drugs, so as yet we cannot recommend that they are taken for women.

What side effects can I expect from Levitra?

Levitra is generally well tolerated, although some men will experience side effects. These are due to effects of Levitra on other parts of the body apart from the penis and the most common ones are headache, facial flushing, indigestion and a stuffy or runny nose. Similar side effects are seen with drugs that act in the same way as Levitra.

Side effects with Levitra are rarely unpleasant enough to make men stop taking it and it is often found that, with continued use, the side effects tend to disappear. If you are bothered by side effects, then you should discuss these with your doctor.

How does Levitra compare with Cialis over Viagra?

In laboratory research conditions, Levitra is the most powerful of the presently available phosphodiesterases (compared with Cialis and Viagra). The question is whether then this equates to a superiority in a 'clinical* setting where healthy and difficult-to-treat groups, such as men with diabetes, are taking it. Up to now there have been no head-to-head data published, so for now we cannot answer the question as to which drug is 'better' or indeed which drug men prefer. At this stage, what can be said confidently is that this is another highly effective drug offering another choice for men with ED.

Can I get Levitra on the NHS?

The NHS has restricted the types of patients with ED who can get treatments paid for by the NHS and this includes Levitra. Your doctor will know whether you come into one of these categories, which are discussed above under Viagra, but generally you have to have some other disease, such as diabetes or spinal cord injury. If this is the case, then, unless you are normally exempt, you will still have to pay a prescription charge for Levitra.

If you are eligible to be prescribed Levitra on the NHS, then your doctor will write the letters 'SLS' (standing for Selected List Scheme) next to the drug name on the prescription. If these letters are not on the prescription, the pharmacist will ask you to pay for Levitra.

You may also be able to get Levitra on the NHS if you are diagnosed as suffering severe distress as a result of your ED. This diagnosis may have to be made by a hospital specialist rather than by your own GP.

The majority of patients have to pay for their ED treatments (although the consultation with the doctor is still free), but a prescription from your doctor is still needed. It is not possible to buy Levitra 'over the counter' from a pharmacist.