Why cialis works

Cialis can be taken as needed or once daily with effects lasting up to 36 hours. Viagra is also known by its generic name sildenafil. It is prescribed for erectile dysfunction ED.

Viagra is usually taken as a 50 mg tablet 30 minutes to 4 hours before sexual activity. It should be avoided with a high-fat meal which can reduce its absorption. Cialis and Viagra are in the same class of drugs called phosphodiesterase 5 PDE5 inhibitors. However, they are not the same. Cialis contains tadalafil and Viagra contains sildenafil. They also have some different side effects and uses. Cialis and Viagra are both effective for ED.

Cialis may be preferred for its once-daily dosing and longer-lasting effects. If you experience erectile dysfunction and are looking for treatment, there are many doctors and specialists who can assess your ED and help you find the best option for your sex life.

Cialis and Viagra are not indicated for pregnant women. While some off-label uses have been reported for female sexual arousal disorder, women who are pregnant should not be taking ED medications.

It is not recommended to use Cialis or Viagra with alcohol. Alcohol can increase side effects such as dizziness and headache. Drinking alcohol with these drugs may result in low blood pressure. According to the FDA label , maximum levels of Cialis in the body are reached within 30 minutes and 6 hours after taking a single dose. Taking Cialis with or without food does not affect its absorption. Cialis does not affect your ability to last longer. It is used to help get and maintain an erection for sexual activity.

Sexual stimulation or arousal is required for an erection with Cialis. Viagra and Cialis should not be taken together. Because they act in similar ways, taking them together can increase the risk of adverse side effects.

Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. Cialis vs. Viagra: Differences, similarities, and which is better for you. By Gerardo Sison, Pharm. Want the best price on Viagra? Want the best price on Cialis?

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Search now! Type your drug name. Erectile dysfunction: 10 mg oral tablet before sexual activity Once-daily use for ED: 2. Both Cialis and Adcirca have the same active drug ingredient, tadalafil. Adcirca is approved to treat a type of high blood pressure in your lungs called pulmonary arterial hypertension PAH. The drug is for use in men and women.

PAH is a specific kind of pulmonary hypertension that occurs in the arteries of your lungs. Although the active drug ingredient is the same in both Cialis and Adcirca, the two drugs have different dosages. Your doctor may want you to take Cialis once a day or just as needed for sexual activity. Keep in mind that you should never take Cialis more than once a day. This is because on average, it takes the drug 2 hours to be at the highest level in your body.

However, some people may have better erectile function 30 minutes after they take the drug. Swallow the tablet whole. However, there are other options to treat women with a low sex drive. Bremelanotide Vyleesi is an injectable medication that works on an area of your brain to improve sexual desire. This drug is also known as PT Another medication used to treat low sex drive in women is the pill flibanserin Addyi. And before the FDA approves a medication, it must test the drug for safety and effectiveness.

Clinical trials show that Cialis is a safe and effective drug to treat erectile dysfunction ED , benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH , or both.

However, for some people, Cialis may not be a safe option. This can include people with heart conditions such as an irregular heart rhythm and people who take other medications such as nitrates. And talk with your doctor if you have any concerns. After ejaculation occurs, your sexual excitement usually decreases. However, Cialis can still work up to 36 hours after you take your dose.

So the drug may help you get another erection. Cialis can stay in your system for more than 2 days after your dose. Yes, Cialis can be used to treat ED after prostate surgery. A clinical trial was done in people with ED who had surgery to have their prostate removed.

The people used either Cialis or a placebo treatment with no active drug as needed. If you have questions about using Cialis to treat ED after prostate surgery, talk with your doctor. However, the medication does increase blood flow to the area. Cialis is approved to treat erectile dysfunction ED , symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH , or both of these conditions.

ED is a condition in which a man may be unable to get or maintain an erection. An erection occurs when blood flows into the penis and remains there for a period of time. This happens because the blood vessels and muscles in the penis relax and open up, allowing more blood to flow into the area. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate GMP is a chemical in your body that relaxes the muscles in the penis and increases blood flow into the penis.

Cialis belongs to a group of medications called phosphodiesterase 5 PDE5 inhibitors. And when you have more cyclic GMP, the blood vessels and muscles in your penis relax.

This allows more blood to flow in and produce an erection. BPH may cause problems with urination such as the need to urinate frequently or having to urinate more often at night. Studies show that the medication may work as quickly as 30 minutes after you take your dose. However, in some people, the medication may take up to 6 hours until you notice it working. On average, it takes about 2 hours for Cialis to peak. This is how long it takes for you to have the highest level of medication in your body.

Both alcohol and Cialis can decrease your blood pressure. This may help prevent your blood pressure from becoming too low. Having five or more drinks five shots or glasses of wine or beer along with Cialis can increase the risk of side effects. In addition to decreased blood pressure, these side effects can include:. Other drugs are available that can treat your erectile dysfunction ED , symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH , or both. Some medications may be a better fit for you than others.

They can tell you about other drugs that may work well for you. Note: Some of the drugs listed here are used off-label to treat these specific conditions. However, other combinations of drugs may be used for this purpose. Doses of up to mg of Cialis have been tested. Doses of up to mg have also been given to people once a day.

Overdose symptoms were similar to the normal side effects people have had after taking Cialis. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or use their online tool.

But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. But if you have a prostate condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH , your doctor may first prescribe a drug called finasteride Proscar. Finasteride is a first-line treatment the first treatment used when medications are recommended for BPH. This is because the drug shrinks the prostate by blocking the growth of prostate cells.

Finasteride can help also ease symptoms of BPH, such as having to urinate suddenly and more often. However, this medication can cause negative sexual side effects such as decreased libido sex drive and erectile dysfunction. To help ease these side effects, your doctor may have you also take Cialis. When you get Cialis from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the package or bottle.

This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication. The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk with your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it.

How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication. Store Cialis in a tightly sealed container away from light. And avoid keeping this medication in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as bathrooms. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident.

It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment. This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase the number of side effects or make them more severe. Below is a list of medications that can interact with Cialis. Before taking Cialis, talk with your doctor and pharmacist.

Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. This type of drug may be used for chest pain. Taking nitrates along with Cialis can cause a serious decrease in your blood pressure.

Both Cialis and medications called alpha-blockers can cause a decrease in blood pressure. So taking these medications together can cause blood pressure to drop further.

And if you have erectile dysfunction ED and are taking an alpha-blocker, your doctor will likely lower your dose of Cialis. Before taking Cialis, tell your doctor about any medications that you use, including alpha-blockers. Cialis may reduce your blood pressure. They may give you a lower dose of Cialis or monitor you more often. This means that you may not get the full dose of Cialis, so it may not work as well to treat your ED or symptoms of BPH.

Talk with them about how far apart to take the doses of each drug if you need to use both medications. Cialis is broken down in your body by an enzyme in your liver called CYP3A4. An enzyme is a protein that aids chemical changes in your body.

Certain drugs can inhibit block this enzyme from working. So if the enzyme is unable to break down Cialis, the level of Cialis in your body may get too high. This can be dangerous and may increase your risk of side effects from Cialis. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a lower dose of Cialis or a different medication to treat your ED, symptoms of BPH, or both.

Cialis is broken down in your liver by an enzyme called CYP3A4. Certain drugs may induce increase the activity of CYP3A4, making it work better or faster than usual. This means that your body may break down Cialis more quickly than it should, so the drug may not affect you. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a different medication to treat your ED, symptoms of BPH, or both.

This kind of medication is used to treat people with pulmonary hypertension a type of high blood pressure in your lungs. Using a guanylate cyclase stimulator along with Cialis may cause your blood pressure to become dangerously low. An example of a guanylate cyclase stimulator is riociguat Adempas. This medication can be used to treat pulmonary hypertension PH that happens in your arteries of your lungs pulmonary arterial hypertension or PH that happens due to a blood clot in your lungs.

However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Cialis. Grapefruit blocks that enzyme from working. As with all medications, the cost of Cialis can vary.

To find current prices for Cialis in your area, check out GoodRx. The cost you find on GoodRx. Before approving coverage for Cialis, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization.

This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. You could get dizzy, faint or have a heart attack or stroke. Tell your healthcare provider that you take Cialis.

If you need emergency medical care for a heart problem, it will be important for your health care provider to know when you last took Cialis. After taking a single tablet, some of the active ingredient of Cialis remains in your body for more than 2 days. The active ingredient can remain longer if you have problems with your kidneys or liver, or you are taking certain other medications.

Physicians should discuss with patients the potential for CIALIS to augment the blood-pressure-lowering effect of alpha-blockers and antihypertensive medications.

Patients who have a condition called "left ventricular outlet obstruction" from valvular problems or heart muscle enlargement may get side effects such as fainting or light-headedness.

Because patients with recent heart attacks or stroke, heart pains angina , heart failure, uncontrolled blood pressure or uncontrolled irregular heart beats, severe liver disease, and retinal eye problems were not studied with Cialis, Cialis is not recommended for these patients. There may be rare occurrences of priapism or painful, prolonged erections. This is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Patients should seek prompt medical attention if their erection lasts longer than four hours.

Cialis should not be used by patients taking nitrates such as nitroglycerin tablets or patches because the combination of these with Cialis could significantly lower blood pressure and lead to fainting or even death in some men.

The safety and effectiveness of Cialis when used with other treatments for impotence has not been studied. Combined use could lead to additional lowering of blood pressure, possibly to unsafe levels.