Viagra is also known as “the little blue pill” because of its blue color, while generic sildenafil tends to be a white color. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional.
| Country/Region | Approval Status | Prescription Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Approved by FDA | Yes | Prescription only |
| European Union | Approved by EMA | Yes | Prescription required |
| Canada | Approved by Health Canada | Yes | Prescription needed |
| Australia | TGA approval | Yes | Prescription mandatory |
You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. Sildenafil is used to treat male sexual function problems (impotence or erectile dysfunction-ED). In combination with sexual stimulation, sildenafil works by increasing blood flow to the penis to help a man get and keep an erection. Sildenafil does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (such as HIV, hepatitis B, gonorrhea, syphilis). Practice "safe sex" such as using latex condoms.
Comparing Which Works Faster
Because of the “as needed” version of tadalafil, some users may find this option more convenient. The downside, however, is that side effects tend to last longer too. The main difference between sildenafil 50 mg tab generic sildenafil and Viagra is marketing. The main ingredient in Viagra is sildenafil, meaning that the drugs are essentially the same. However, Viagra is marketed and prescribed strictly for erectile dysfunction, while generic sildenafil can be prescribed for PAH as well. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
- Sildenafil 20 mg tablets are sometimes used off-label for pulmonary hypertension.
- The medication can cause priapism, a painful, prolonged erection.
- Wait at least 24 hours before taking another dose.
- Avoid grapefruit juice, which can increase drug levels.
- Report any allergic reactions such as rash or difficulty breathing.
Sildenafil is also available in other brands and strengths for treating high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension).
| Product | Dosage | Quantity + Bonus | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamagra Soft Tabs | 100mg | 32 Pills | 120.11€ 114.39€ | |
| Kamagra | 100mg | 180 + 6 Pills | 436.79€ 415.99€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 50mg | 90 + 6 Pills | 107.37€ 102.26€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 100mg | 270 + 10 Pills | 270.47€ 257.59€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 150mg | 90 + 6 Pills | 147.18€ 140.17€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 25mg | 360 + 10 Pills | 213.68€ 203.50€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 100mg | 90 + 6 Pills | 129.02€ 122.88€ | |
| Kamagra Polo | 100mg | 180 + 8 Pills | 446.52€ 425.26€ | |
| Kamagra Oral Jelly | 100mg | 110 + 9 Sachets | 334.87€ 318.92€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 50mg | 180 + 8 Pills | 158.82€ 151.26€ | |
| Viagra Generic | 200mg | 360 + 10 Pills | 481.98€ 459.03€ |
Do not take sildenafil with any other product that contains sildenafil or other similar medications for erectile dysfunction-ED or pulmonary hypertension (such as tadalafil, vardenafil).
Adverse Effects
Keep it in your carry-on bag. Don’t worry about airport X-ray machines. You may need to show airport staff the pharmacy label for your medication. Always carry the original prescription-labeled container with you. Don’t put this medication in your car’s glove compartment or leave it in the car.
Less common
Be sure to avoid doing this when the weather is very hot or very cold. If you’re taking this drug for PAH, your doctor may monitor your blood pressure and pulse regularly. When filling your prescription, be sure to call ahead to make sure your pharmacy carries it. Many insurance companies require prior authorization for this drug. This means your doctor may need to get approval from your insurance company before your insurance company will pay for the prescription. Sildenafil is available under the following different brand names: Revatio, and Viagra. Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 50 mg orally 1 hour before sexual activity may be increased to 100 mg or reduced to 25 mg, depending on effectiveness and tolerance Oral: 5 mg or 20 mg 3 times daily, administered 4-6 hours apart Intravenous (IV): 2.5-mg or 10-mg bolus 3 times daily if patient is temporarily unable to take orally Recommended oral/IV dose not to be exceeded Adding Revatio to bosentan does not have any beneficial effect on exercise capacity Hepatic impairment or severe renal impairment: Use initial dose of 25 mg Older than 65 years: 25 mg orally initially 1 hour before sexual activity Oral: 5 mg or 20 mg 3 times daily, administered 4-6 hours apart Intravenous (IV): 2.5-mg or 10-mg bolus 3 times daily if patient is temporarily unable to take orally Recommended oral/IV dose not to be exceeded Adding Revatio to bosentan does not have any beneficial effect on exercise capacity Clinical trials found no significant difference in response between elderly patients and younger adults; however, cautious dose selection should be considered in elderly because of greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, and cardiac function, as well as comorbid conditions and concomitant pharmacotherapy Compared with healthy younger volunteers, healthy elderly volunteers (65 years and older) had reduced clearance of sildenafil, resulting in approximately 84% and 107% higher plasma concentrations of sildenafil and its active N-desmethyl metabolite, respectively Not to be prescribed to children (1-17 years) for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); this recommendation against use is based on long-term clinical pediatric trial showing that children taking high doses had higher risk of death than children taking low doses and that low doses were not effective in improving exercise ability Side effects associated with use of Sildenafil, include the following: Postmarketing side effects of sildenafil reported include: Vaso-occlusive crisis (PAH secondary to sickle-cell anemia) This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.
Drug Label Information
When you take the drug depends on the condition being treated:For ED: You can take this drug at any time of day.For PAH: Take this drug three times per day about 4–6 hours apart. Take it at the same time every day. For ED: You can take this drug at any time of day. For PAH: Take this drug three times per day about 4–6 hours apart. Store sildenafil tablets at room temperature between 59°F and 86°F (15°C and 30°C).
How is sildenafil supplied (dosage forms)?
Don’t store this medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms. A prescription for this medication is refillable. You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. When flying, never put it into a checked bag. If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider or pharmacist first. Sildenafil has serious interactions with at least 48 different drugs. Sildenafil has moderate interactions with at least 72 different drugs. This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use.
2.1 Recommended Dosage in Adults
Talk with your doctor about other drug options that may work for you. Sildenafil and tadalafil are alike because they both can treat ED and PAH. However, tadalafil has a few distinctions from sildenafil. Tadalafil is the generic name for the erectile dysfunction drug Cialis. There are two versions of the drug: a version that can be taken as needed Cialis 5-mg daily dosing is the only PDE5 inhibitor dose approved for treating an enlarged prostate; improving ED symptoms is an added benefit of the daily dose. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist.
Proper Use
For PAH: Take your dose as soon as you remember. But if you remember just a few hours before your next scheduled dose, take only one dose. Never try to catch up by taking two doses at once. This could result in dangerous side effects. How to tell if the drug is working: For ED: You should be able to get and maintain an erection when sexually aroused.
Alcohol interaction warning
For PAH: You should be able to exercise more easily. Your doctor will also check you to determine if this drug is working. Keep these considerations in mind if your doctor prescribes sildenafil for you. You can take this drug with or without food. You can cut or crush the tablet. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions, concerns or for more information about this medicine.
Other Comments
Sildenafil under the brand name Viagra is prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to the penis during arousal. Sildenafil under the brand name Revatio is often prescribed to help adults with PAH get more exercise by treating their condition. What if I forget sildenafil 130mg to take it? If you are taking Revatio and you forget to take your scheduled dose, take it as soon as possible. However, you should never double your dosage.
More common
If you completely miss a dose and it’s time for the next dose, skip the one you missed. Are there any safety measures I should take before using this drug? Like most medications, there are precautions you should take before using this drug. Make sure you talk with your doctor about: any other drugs, medications, herbs, or supplements you take or plan to take any medical conditions or surgeries you have or plan to have if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be better suited for you than others. Do not take Revatio or Viagra if you are allergic to sildenafil or any ingredients contained in this drug. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulators (e.g., riociguat); concomitant use can cause hypotension Co-administration with nitrates (either regularly and/or intermittently) and nitric oxide donors Consistent with the effects of PDE5 inhibition on the nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway, PDE5 inhibitors may potentiate the hypotensive effects of nitrates A suitable time interval following PDE5 dosing for the safe administration of nitrates or nitric oxide donors has not been determined Elicits vasodilatory properties, resulting in mild and transient decreases in blood pressure.
| Brand Name | Price Range (per tablet) | Availability | Prescription Needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viagra | $2 - $5 | Pharmacies | Yes | Brand-name option |
| Sildenafil generics | $0.50 - $1.50 | Online & Local Pharmacies | Yes | Economical choice |
| Kamagra | Varies | Online (regulated in some countries) | Yes | Check legal status |
See "What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Sildenafil?" Prolonged use may result in overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms, including fungi See "What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Sildenafil?” Elicits vasodilatory properties, resulting in mild and transient decreases in blood pressure Use with caution in patients with anatomic deformation of penis (e.g., angulation, cavernosal fibrosis, or Peyronie disease), conditions potentially predisposing to priapism (e.g., sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia), cardiovascular disease, bleeding disorders, active peptic ulcer disease, liver disease, renal impairment, multidrug antihypertensive regimens, retinitis pigmentosa, concomitant use of CYP3A4 inhibitors Pulmonary vasodilators may significantly worsen cardiovascular status of patients with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease Patients taking alpha blocker should be stabilized before starting phosphodiesterase (PDE)-5 inhibitor, which should be initiated at lowest dose; if patient is already taking optimized dose of PDE-5 inhibitor, alpha blocker should be initiated at lowest dose to avoid hypotension Not to be taken with other PDE-5 inhibitors Sudden decrease or loss of hearing, which may be accompanied by tinnitus and dizziness Viagra: Patients should stop sildenafil and seek medical care if a sudden loss of vision occurs in 1 or both eyes, which could be a sign of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION); use with caution, and only when the anticipated benefits outweigh the risks, in patients with a history of NAION; patients with a ”crowded” optic disc may also be at an increased risk of NAION Viagra: Potential for cardiac risk with sexual activity in patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease; therefore, treatment for erectile dysfunction generally should not be instituted in men for whom sexual activity is inadvisable because of their underlying cardiovascular status May cause dose-related impairment of color discrimination; use caution in patients with retinitis pigmentosa Evaluate underlying causes of erectile dysfunction or BPH before initiating therapy Revatio: In small, prematurely terminated study of patients with PAH secondary to sickle-cell disease, vaso-occlusive crises requiring hospitalization were more commonly reported by patients who received sildenafil than by those randomized to placebo; effectiveness of sildenafil in PAH secondary to sickle-cell anemia has not been established; the clinical relevance to men treated for erectile dysfunction with sildenafil is not known Revatio: Not for use in children with PAH; increased mortality with increasing doses (hazard ratio 3.5) was observed in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 234 children (1-17 years) with PAH who had mild-to-moderate symptoms at baseline Revatio: Epistaxis occurred in 13% of patients with PAH secondary to connective tissue disease (e.g., scleroderma); this effect was not seen in idiopathic PAH; incidence was also higher in those receiving concomitant PO vitamin K antagonist therapy (9%) than in those not receiving such therapy (2%) Sildenafil may be acceptable for use during pregnancy Either animal studies show no risk but human studies are not availab
- Sildenafil 20 mg tablets are available by prescription only.
- Common side effects include headaches, flushing, and nasal congestion.
- It is important to follow the prescribed dosage for safety.
- Avoid alcohol and high-fat meals when taking sildenafil.
- Consult a doctor if you experience sudden vision loss.