Sildenafil is an oral medication for erectile dysfunction (ED). It helps most men with ED improve their erections. That means they are able to acheive harder erections.
Getting an erection is only half the story
Maintaining an erection is just as important as getting one. Sildenafil can help with both. This can lead to a more satisfying sexual experience with your partner.
Who can take Sildenafil
Sildenafil has an established safety profile of over 9 years. It has been shown to work safely and effectively in men with ED. This includes:
- Men of all ages
- Men who have difficulty all the time or just some of the time
- Men with other health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression
Find out if sildenafil is right for you. Speak to your doctor. He can tell you if you have ED. And can recommend an effective treatment.
Sildenafil is prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).
If you take any medicines that have nitrates in them (like nitroglycerin for chest pain) - every day or even once in a while you should NOT take Sildenafil.
Discuss your general health status with your doctor to ensure that you are healthy enough to engage in sexual activity. If you experience chest pain, nausea, or any other discomforts during sex, seek immediate medical help.
The most common side effects of sildenafil are headache, facial flushing, and upset stomach. Less commonly, bluish vision, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light may briefly occur.
In rare instances, men taking PDE5 inhibitors (oral erectile dysfunction medicines, including sildenafil) reported a sudden decrease or loss of vision. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to these medicines or to other factors. If you experience sudden decrease or loss of vision, stop taking PDE5 inhibitors, including sildenafil, and call a doctor right away.
Although erections lasting for more than 4 hours may occur rarely with all ED treatments in this drug class, to avoid long-term injuries, it is important to seek immediate medical help.
If you are older than age 65, or have serious liver or kidney problems, your doctor may start you at the lowest dose (25 mg) of sildenafil. If you are taking protease inhibitors, such as for the treatment of HIV, your doctor may recommend a 25-mg dose and may limit you to a maximum single dose of 25 mg of sildenafil in a 48-hour period.
If you have prostate problems or high blood pressure for which you take medicines called alpha-blockers, your doctor may start you on a lower dose of Sildenafil.
Remember to protect yourself and your partner from sexually transmitted diseases.
Sildenafil is one of many options for treating ED that you and your doctor can consider.
Safety is important. So it's nice to know that sildenafil has an established safety profile of over 9 years.
For men with other health issues
Sildenafil has been shown to work safely in men who have ED and other health issues. These include:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Prostate problems
- Depression
For men taking other medicines
Sildenafil can be taken safely with many other medicines, like those for high blood pressure and depression.
If you have prostate problems or high blood pressure for which you take medicines called alpha blockers, your doctor may start you on a lower dose of sildenafil.
Who should not take Sildenafil
Sildenafil has been shown to work safely in most men. But if you take any medicines that have nitrates in them (like nitroglycerin for chest pain)-every day or even once in a while-you should NOT take sildenafil.
Like with all medicines, some people taking sildenafil may experience side effects. These are usually mild and don't last longer than a few hours. The most common side effects are:
- Headache
- Facial flushing
- Upset stomach
Less common side effects are temporary bluish vision or blurred vision, or being sensitive to light. In clinical studies:
- Patients rarely stopped taking sildenafil because of side effects
- The frequency of side effects has been shown to decrease over time
Taking sildenafil does not make you more dependent upon it to get or maintain an erection.
If you have any questions about the side effects of sildenafil, be sure to ask your doctor. He can let you know if sildenafil is right for you. 
