Viagra is a pioneer among drugs used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. This medicine works on the basis of the active substance Sildenafil citrate, which was artificially synthesized by specialists from the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer at the end of 1990s. The action of Viagra on the male reproductive system is based on the expansion of blood vessels in the cavernous bodies of the penis and an increase in their filling with blood. Sildenafil citrate belongs to the pharmacological group of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, whose action is expressed in blocking the production of the enzyme PDE-5 (phosphodiesterase type 5), which has an inhibitory effect on erection. Inhibiting the production of PDE-5 also relaxes the smooth muscles of the vessel walls of the penis, mainly arteries, which leads to an increase in blood flow to the pelvic organs, facilitating the onset of an erection and having a positive effect on its duration.
Viagra is manufactured in the form of pills for oral administration. The following dosage options are available to consumers: 100, 50 and 25 mg of Sildenafil in each tablet. In most cases, it is recommended to start treatment with a dosage of 50 mg, which can later be reduced or increased according to the individual's response to the drug. The maximum daily dosage that is safe for the body, provided that there are no absolute or relative contraindications to taking Sildenafil citrate, is 100 mg.
Viagra has been successfully used for more than two decades in the treatment of symptoms of erectile dysfunction, which has a different etiology: physiological, psychological and mixed. Despite the availability of newer drugs for combating ED from the group of PDE-5 inhibitors on the pharmaceutical market, it is Viagra that remains the remedy that is effective in cases where other drugs don't help.
Despite this, Viagra is not a panacea for every case of erectile dysfunction. In particular, this medication cannot help a man if the mishaps in bed are caused by hormonal imbalances as well as by serious spinal cord injuries. In addition, to achieve the optimal effect of Viagra, it is necessary that at least half an hour elapses between taking the pill and having a sexual intercourse. Some patients need an hour or a bit more.
Before you start taking Viagra, it is best to consult an urologist. If you decide to take Viagra on your own, carefully study the instructions for use of this medicine, even if you are sure that you have no contraindications. Be sure to check the list of the most common side effects, which include headache, nasal congestion, palpitations, flushing of the face and neck, impaired vision, especially the blue spectrum, and nausea. Also pay attention to the section dedicated to compatibility of Viagra with other medicinal products. For example, Viagra cannot be taken in combination with any nitrates and nitric oxide donors, which are often used to treat hypertension, and with Ritonavir (an antiretroviral drug used in HIV therapy).
The main absolute contraindications to taking Viagra include severe liver failure, severe diseases of the cardiovascular system, hereditary retinal diseases such as hereditary retinitis pigmentosa, lactose intolerance, stomach or duodenal ulcer in the acute stage. Relative contraindications include compensated cardiovascular diseases, controlled arterial hypertension or hypotension, anatomical deformities of the penis, renal failure, history of anterior non-arteritis ischemic neuropathy of the optic nerve, and concomitant use of alpha-blockers.
Viagra has many advantages, which for many consumers are outweighed by one significant drawback, namely the overpricing. Few can afford to buy original Viagra on an ongoing basis. One 50 mg pill (the most popular dosage, leading the world sales ranking of Viagra) costs about $60-65 in regular US pharmacies. Taking into account the fact that in most cases Viagra must be taken at least two to three times a week for a fairly long time, it can be concluded that the treatment of problems with potency with this medication is not very affordable for the general population.
Those men who would like to be able to buy branded Viagra at a lower price should pay attention to online pharmacies. Prices in them are lower for almost all drugs, including various remedies against erectile dysfunction. In order to buy Viagra online cheap, it is not enough just to choose the first available online pharmacy. You should pay attention to large online pharmacies, which often make great deals to new customers. Do not forget about coupons and promotional codes for a discount, which can be tracked on special websites - aggregators of special offers from different pharmacies. Finally, if you are not too lazy to go to the doctor and get an official prescription for Viagra (which is mandatory for buying it in the USA), then you will most likely be able to use your health insurance to cover at least part of the cost of the medicine (up to 80%). However, this recommendation is not comprehensive because, depending on your specific health plan, these drugs may not be covered.
In general, thanks to techniques such as tracking promotions and the best deals from online pharmacies, with a lot of luck, you can get branded Viagra for about $30-45 per 50 mg tablet.
Generic Viagra manufacturers are very well represented in the world. Most of the major pharmaceutical companies in different countries manufacture their own versions of Sildenafil. The Israeli company Teva Pharmaceuticals was the first manufacturer to receive permission to start producing its own Viagra. However, since the patent protection of Viagra, owned by Pfizer, expired, a variety of companies have begun to produce Viagra. Among them, Canadian companies should be noted, for example, Apotex, the generic Viagra from which is quickly delivered to the United States at more than reasonable prices.
Those men who are in no hurry to purchase generic Sildenafil and want to get it at the lowest cost, as a rule, choose the products of Indian companies: Sandoz, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Ajanta Pharma, Centurion Laboratories and many others. Indian generics are characterized by high quality combined with the most affordable prices, due to the focus of the Indian pharmaceutical industry on the production of affordable generic European and American medicines.
Those who value reliability the most will be pleased to know that the proprietary Viagra generic is produced by Greenstone LLC, a subsidiary of Pfizer. It is one of the few American companies producing generic drugs for this drug, along with the American division of Teva.
Many European pharmaceutical companies also produce generic Viagra, for example, Czech Zentiva, British Accord Healthcare, Swiss division of Sandoz.
Traditionally, the most loyal pharmaceutical legislation is found in India. In most Indian online pharmacies, generic Viagra can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. When ordering medicine from international pharmacies, the requirement for a prescription is also usually purely formal, regardless of whose product you buy.
At the same time, if you decide to place an order at a national pharmacy, you will have to act in accordance with the national standards adopted in a particular country. This can cause situations such as the need to provide a scan of a prescription from a doctor. This is a common practice in European pharmacies. Also some Canadian and British pharmacies use it.
By the way, if you are a US resident ordering Viagra generics from overseas, you shouldn't worry about breaking any laws if you don't have a prescription. The very fact of purchasing medicines from abroad is also not an offense. In no country in the world is Sildenafil included in the list of drugs prohibited for circulation, so you definitely will not run into trouble deciding to start normalizing your potency.
Medically reviewed by: Abraham Lincoln Woods III