Cialis®

To understand how Cialis® works to treat ED, it’s important to first understand the basics of how erections work. Blood flow plays a key role in getting an erection and the penis needs to be filled with blood to get hard. Put simply, Cialis® works by increasing blood flow to the penis and therefore makes it easier to get and keep an erection.

Erotic stimulation (by physical touch, erotic thoughts, smells, etc.) causes the local tissues to release nitric oxide (NO), which increases the amount of a chemical called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). cGMP causes the muscles on the sides of the penis, the corpora cavernosa, to relax allowing blood to rush into the penis. At the same time, veins that drain blood from the penis get compressed causing the increased blood to be trapped in the penis causing an erection. An enzyme called phosphodiesterase-5 breaks down cGMP leading the penis to return to its flaccid state. PDE5i, like Cialis®, block this enzyme leading to higher levels of cGMP and improving the ability to get and maintain an erection.

Cialis® and Viagra® are each brand name medications used to treat erectile dysfunction. They both belong to a class of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors that help men get and maintain an erection. While Viagra® is only taken on an as-needed basis and requires some planning ahead, lower strengths of Cialis® can be prescribed as a daily medication, which means you don’t need to plan as carefully, allowing for more spontaneity in your sex life. Which drug works best for you will depend upon your preference, lifestyle, and health needs.

Since Viagra® and Cialis® both belong to the same family of drugs, combining them could increase your risk of side effects. In general, if you’ve taken a dose of Viagra® for ED, it’s not recommended to take Cialis® within 24 hours after that. Or, if you’re taking Cialis®, you shouldn’t take Viagra® within the next 36 hours.

While both drugs start working within about an hour, Viagra® remains effective for about 4 hours, while Cialis® can remain effective for as long as 24-36 hours. Keep in mind that these medications do not automatically induce erections—you need to be aroused for them to work—so the amount of time they remain in your system just reflects the window during which they make it easier to get an erection.

Cialis® is the branded version of the drug tadalafil and is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). It comes in four doses, 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. Cialis® can be taken as needed in any of the four doses. The 2.5 mg and 5 mg doses are also approved for daily use for ED. Cialis® in the 2.5 mg and 5 mg doses is also FDA-approved for men suffering from urinary symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with or without ED. Cialis® is part of a “family” of medicines used to treat ED called phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i). Other drugs in this family include Viagra® (sildenafil), Levitra (vardenafil), and Stendra (avanafil). All of these drugs have the same mechanism of action, but there are subtle differences that may lead the doctor or nurse practitioner to recommend one drug over the other based on your treatment goals.

The effects of Cialis® can last for up to 36 hours. For this reason, you can take a lower dose of the drug at the same time once daily, rather than just before you have sex. This can come in handy if you are unsure when sex may occur and can give you more flexibility. You and your healthcare provider will decide if this option is right for you.

For most people, Cialis® starts working in about 30 minutes. Cialis® won't give you a spontaneous erection without sexual stimulation.

There are two ways to take the medication: a lower dose daily at the same time each day without regard to when you have sex. Or a higher dose as needed, at least 30 minutes before sexual activity. The best way to take Cialis® is what works best for your sex life. With the as-needed regimen, you don’t have to take the medication every day, but it also means planning your sexual activities. The continuous regimen with a lower dose taken daily allows more flexibility and spontaneity in your sex life. You can just take the tablet every day at the same time and not have to worry about when sex is about to happen. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions to get the best out of your medication.

As a brand-name erectile dysfunction medication, Cialis® is significantly more expensive than the generic version of the medication, tadalafil. Through Ro, the as-needed version of Cialis® is $20 per pill. If you are looking for effective ED treatment without the high price tag, you can get generic Cialis® (tadalafil), starting at $8 per pill for the daily version and starting at $11 per pill for the as-needed version, for a fraction of the cost of brand name Cialis®.