Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a male medical condition affecting the sexual life. This illness is also known as impotence. Males suffering from ED cannot achieve erection or maintain it for the period needed for successful sexual intercourse. Sometimes, they can experience reduced sexual desire. Impotence can lead to stress & relationship problems as well as influence male’s self-confidence. Many men are ashamed to go to the clinic for receiving medical care. This can lead to different complications of the disease. In addition, impotence may be a symptom of other, more serious illnesses. Any ailment is easier to prevent than to treat, so do not hesitate to consult your healthcare expert if you experience ED symptoms. Most cases of ED are successfully cured, if patients receive timely treatment.
Causes of ED
There are two groups of ED causes. The first group includes different diseases, which adversely affect blood flow in the body & in the genital area. These diseases include diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular problems etc. In addition, the condition may be the result of alcohol abusing, smoking, sleep disorders and using certain RX (prescription) drugs including psychotropic, antihistamine and antihypertensive ones. The second group of ED causes includes psychological factors, such as:
- Partnership problems (for example, partner’s dissatisfaction with the quality of sexual intercourse);
- Depression, reduced self-esteem;
- Permanent or frequent stress.
Sometimes, the ailment may be caused by both psychological & physical factors.
ED Treatments
If the illness is caused by another condition, treating the latter can be enough to cure erection problems. In other situations, the disease requires symptomatic treatment which doesn’t eliminate the causes of ED but only provides reduction of impotence symptoms.
Previously, the most effective methods to eliminate ED symptoms were intracavernous injections (injections into the penis). Of course, injection in the male organ is associated with unpleasant feelings, but oral pills for treating ED have low effectiveness. In the late 1990s there was a revolution in the sphere of ED treatment. Scientists invented the oral drug, which provided a stable erection in half an hour after taking. The name of this drug was Viagra. It was the first representative of PDE5 inhibitor medicaments.
Since that time, several medications with the similar mechanism of action have appeared on the drug market in Erectile Dysfunction https://iacopharmacy.com/products/erectile-dysfunction category. These medicaments include Cialis, Levitra, Stendra etc. Active agents of these drugs inhibit special enzyme in the body that prevents normal blood current in the penis. As a result, blood fills the penis and erection occurs. It does not mean that erection will be permanent. The effect is provided only if a man is sexually aroused.
Viagra – a Powerful Blue Pill
Viagra is the most known pill for treating impotence in males. It is produced by Pfizer, the US pharmaceutical giant. Viagra comes in the form of blue diamond-shaped tablets having branded inscriptions. It is the most researched medicament among all other PDE5 inhibitors. According to several studies, Viagra is effective for 72-85% of males having ED (effectiveness varies depending on the dosage).
Kamagra – a Cheap Generic
Kamagra is a generic copy of Viagra produced by Indian drug makers. What does it mean? It means that this drug contains the same active agent as Viagra. Therefore, it provides the same pharmaceutical action. The key differences between Kamagra and the genuine medicament are price (the former is cheaper) and drug form.
Kamagra comes in two main forms preferred by those men who can’t stand swallowing pills:
- Kamagra Jelly which is produced with multiple tastes (grape, strawberry, pineapple, banana, orange, vanilla, caramel);
- Kamagra Chewable – soft chewable tabs with fruit tastes (the same as those of Jelly form);
- Kamagra Effervescent, which comes in the form of an orange-flavored dissolving tablet for making anti-ED lemonade.
Cialis – the Best Duration of Effect
Cialis is the main competitor of Viagra produced by Lilly USA. This modern medication comes in form of yellow or light-yellow tablets, which look like diamonds. Cialis is known for its prolonged effect. Unlike other medications belonging to PDE5 inhibitors family, the effect of Cialis lasts for 1,5 days if the medicament is taken as needed (usually 10 or 20mg). Due to this distinctive feature, the drug was nicknamed “weekend pill”. A man can take a Cialis pill, for example, on Friday evening. Needed effect will last up to Monday morning.
Another option of Cialis taking is daily use (2,5 or 5mg). It provides permanent and stable effect during treatment, so a man can have sex at any moment. One more feature of Cialis: the drug doesn’t interact with fatty foods, such as cheese, vegetable oils, nuts etc. Many other anti-ED drugs are absorbed more slowly if they are combined with such products.
Levitra – German Quality and Quick Effect
Levitra is a bright orange round tablet manufactured by well-known Bayer company (Germany). Another version of Levitra is a white sublingual pill called Staxyn (you should put it under the tongue instead of swallowing). Levitra and Staxyn provide relatively quick onset of action. In some men, they start working in 10 min after ingestion (Montorsi F. et al study). Clinical experiments show that these medications are effective in most males.
Stendra – Novelty on the Drug Market
Stendra is a light-yellow tablet produced by Vivus company (USA). It was released in 2012 in US and in 2013 in the EU. The medication is popular because males want to try something new for treating impotence. In addition, Stendra acts very quickly – 15-30 min after administration. Around 2/3 males are able to have sex within 15 min. Moreover, similar to Cialis, Stendra doesn’t interact with fatty food products.
Below you can find a table comparing key features of Viagra/Kamagra, Cialis, Stendra and Levitra.
Comparison of the Most Popular ED Medications
Key features | Name of the medication | ||||
Viagra/Kamagra | Cialis “as needed” | Cialis daily | Levitra/Staxyn | Stendra | |
Active agent | Sildenafil | Tadalafil | Tadalafil | Vardenafil | Avanafil |
Onset of action | 30-60 min | From 30 minutes | Maximal effect is achieved in 4-5 days | 30-60 min for Levitra 20-45 min for Staxyn | 15-30 min |
Duration of effect | Up to 12 hours [1] | Up to 1,5 days (36 hours) | Always active | Up to 10 hours | Around 6 hours |
Interaction with alcohol | It’s best to avoid alcoholic drinks | You can consume alcoholic drinks in moderate amounts | Alcohol consumption isn’t recommended | Moderate consumption is possible | |
Interaction with fatty food | High-fat food decreases effectiveness | Can be combined | High-fat food decreases effectiveness | Can be combined |
[1] According to research of Gingell C. et al.
As you can see, each medication has advantages & disadvantages. We hope that we have assisted you in choosing the medicament that will be helpful in your particular situation.