Cialis (Tadalafil)

What is Cialis?

Modern medicine offers many effective drugs to combat erectile dysfunction, which today is the most common violation in the male sexual sphere. Most of these drugs belong to the inhibitors of the enzyme PDE-5 (phosphodiesterase type 5). Thus, their action is based on blocking the production of this enzyme, through which the organism receives a signal that it is time for the erection to stop.

One of the most widely used and popular drugs in this group is Cialis. Its main active ingredient is Tadalafil. This chemical substance was synthesized by experts of the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. The medication was approved by the FDA in 2003 as a remedy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, and in 2011 also as a remedy for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

What Does Cialis Look Like?

This drug is produced in the form of oval yellow film-coated pills for oral use. From 1 to 14 tablets are placed in a blister, one or more blisters then in a cardboard box. Three dosage options of the branded medication are available to the customers: 5, 10, and 15 mg. Regardless of the amount of active ingredient, the size and shape of the pills is the same. On one side of the pills “C5”, “C10” or “C20” is engraved.

How Does Cialis Work?

What Does Cialis Do?

First of all, it is worth noting that simply taking Cialis doesn’t cause an erection, since this remedy is not a narcotic-like stimulator or aphrodisiac. In order for the drug to work, the man must either already have sexual desire, or experience sexual stimulation.

If we describe the mechanism of action of Tadalafil with scientific words, then with sexual stimulation or arousal caused by a romantic mood, there is an increase in the flow of arterial blood to the cavernous bodies of the penis due to relaxation of the smooth muscles of the arteries. The release of nitric oxide from the cavernous bodies of the penis follows this process. Nitric oxide has a stimulating effect on the synthesis of cGMP in smooth muscle cells. Increased cGMP synthesis leads to relaxation of smooth muscles and additionally contributes to an increase in blood flow to the cavernous bodies. Cialis inhibits PDE-5, which is accompanied by an increase in the number of cGMP and results in a strong erection.

How Fast Does Cialis Work?

If you take Tadalafil on an irregular basis, it is recommended to take a pill 20-40 minutes before sexual intercourse, in most cases this time is enough for the medicine to take effect even before sex.

If you prefer taking Cialis every day, then there is no need to somehow correlate the time of taking the pill and sexual activity, since the level of the active substance in the blood is maintained at a constant level, sufficient for performing a sexual act at any time of the day.

How Long Does Cialis Last?

This medication positively differs from all other drugs to increase potency in terms of duration of action. After taking a pill with a dosage of 20 mg, Cialis stays in the system up to 36 hours. Slightly lower rates (24-30 hours) characterize the duration of action of smaller dosages. However, these are no more than reference values: in fact, this period may vary depending on the individual sensitivity to the drug, the patient’s weight, the degree of erectile dysfunction, and some other factors.

How To Take Cialis?

Before taking Cialis, it is recommended to consult an urologist, since to select the most appropriate dosing regimen, it is necessary to assess the state of the reproductive system and conduct a medical examination, which will help to identify possible contraindications to the use of this medicine.

General instructions for taking the drug are the following: a pill is recommended to be taken whole, washed down with water. The drug can be combined with a moderate amount of alcohol. Regular use of the maximum daily dosage (20 mg) of the drug over the age of 65 years should be avoided, especially in the presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys.

How To Take Cialis for Best Results?

Cialis is a rather expensive medicine, the effect of which concerns the most important part of the body of any man. Therefore, it is not surprising that patients want to get the most accurate information about which regimen for taking this medicine will allow them to achieve the maximum result.

For patients with weak or moderate erectile dysfunction, it is recommended to take Cialis in a dosage of 5 or 10 mg. It is possible to take the med both on demand or on a daily basis, depending on the personal preferences of the patient and the frequency of the intended sexual activity.

In the case of a pronounced violation of potency, the optimal choice is to take Tadalafil 20 mg shortly before sexual intercourse. The daily regimen for this dosage is not suitable for all patients due to the high probability of side effects.

The features of treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with Cialis deserve a special mention. This is the only medication for increasing potency, for which BPH is an indication, and not a contraindication for use. With this disease, the therapeutic effect is achieved mainly due to the ability of Tadalafil to improve the blood supply not only directly to the cavernous bodies of the penis, but also to all other parts of the male genital organs. The prostate gland is no exception. Given that BPH is mainly caused by impaired blood circulation in the prostate, Cialis effectively deals with this disease, helping to reduce the gland and relieve inflammation. Thus, a double positive effect is achieved: both in relation to prostate hyperplasia, and in relation to erectile dysfunction, which very often accompanies the first disease.

Tadalafil is prescribed against BPH both as part of complex therapy, and as an independent medicine. Patients with BPH are advised to take Cialis daily at a dosage of 5 or 10 mg, in courses of at least 2 months each. Usually the break between courses is one month. More information can be obtained by visiting a specialist. Keep in mind that any case is individual, and self-treatment can have negative consequences.

Side Effects of Cialis

Despite the fact that Cialis has established itself as a means to increase potency which is characterized by the least number and severity of side effects, it is impossible to completely get rid of them due to the very principle of action of Tadalafil, which consists in the dilation of blood vessels in the cavernous bodies of the penis. Although the drug mainly affects the target area, all vessels in the body are involved, though less. This can lead to side effects such as headache, nasal congestion, and a rush of blood to the face. These are the most common discomfort associated with taking Tadalafil. Dyspepsia, back pain, dizziness, a change in color vision, and a rapid heartbeat are more rare.

How To Avoid Cialis Side Effects?

Quite often, it happens that after the first intake of Cialis, discomfort is more pronounced than in subsequent times. This is not the evidence of getting addicted to the drug, but only an adaptation of the reaction of the cardiovascular system to the ingestion of an unusual substance. Patients who take Tadalafil every day, as a rule don’t experience any noticeable side effects.

In this regard, it is possible to deduce the pattern that the most severe side effects are pronounced in patients who take Cialis irregularly in a high dosage (20 mg). Therefore, to minimize discomfort, you can either reduce the dosage or not make long pauses (more than a week) between intakes of pills. It is also noted that after taking Tadalafil on an empty stomach, the risk of dyspeptic phenomena increases, although in accordance with the instructions for use, eating or lack thereof doesn’t affect the effect of the drug.

Be careful if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any drugs from the PDE-5 inhibitor group.

Don’t take Cialis with grapefruit juice, because citrus fruits, especially grapefruit, reduce the production of intestinal enzymes that break down Tadalafil. As a result, more active substance can enter the blood than planned by the manufacturer, which will lead to an overdose, an increase in the severity of side effects and can be harmful to health of cardiovascular and other systems of the organism.

What Happens if You Take 2 Cialis Pills?

Sometimes a man takes one pill of Cialis containing 5 or 10 mg of Tadalafil, and comes to the conclusion that this is not enough to achieve a stable strong erection. What happens if you take another pill after a while? If the interval between pills is no more than an hour, the patient will simply experience an increase in the effect of the drug, since the action of the second pill will join the action of the first one. However, it is not recommended to take Tadalafil twice a day if the pills don’t follow one after another, as this interferes with maintaining the optimal level of the active substance in the blood and can cause severe side effects.

As for pills with a dosage of 20 mg, taking two of these or more is strictly prohibited, regardless of whether immediately or separately. No more than 20 mg of Tadalafil can be ingested per day, preferably at the same time. Be reasonable and do no harm to yourself in an effort to get the strongest erection possible.

What Is The Difference between Viagra And Cialis?

The main difference between these two most popular medications for combating erectile dysfunction is the active ingredients: in Cialis, this is Tadalafil, in Viagra – Sildenafil citrate. Viagra was developed earlier and therefore became more famous, however, many patients are not satisfied with this medicine due to a sufficiently large number of strongly pronounced side effects. Both drugs are produced in the USA, Viagra is manufactured by Pfizer, and Cialis by Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company.

Sildenafil starts acting not so quick as Tadalafil, and stays is the system during a shorter period – up to 6 hours. Because of this property of Sildenafil, Tadalafil with its duration of action (up to 36 hours) is a more suitable option for men who want to be ready for sex at any time of the day. However, Viagra provides a more pronounced effect, therefore, men with severe erectile dysfunction often prefer this medicine.

Both drugs belong to PDE-5 inhibitors, and the principle of their action is generally the same, as well as a list of indications and contraindications. However, taking Viagra is contraindicated in case of benign prostatic hyperplasia, while Cialis is used to treat this ailment. Also, contraindications for taking Tadalafil are not as severe as for Sildenafil.

When Will Generic Cialis Be Available?

What is Generic Cialis?

Cialis is a drug that has almost reached Viagra in popularity, in recent years it has become more in demand than the vast majority of other PDE-5 inhibitors. However, its significant disadvantage is the high price. Depending on the size of the trade margin for a particular pharmacy and the number of pills in a blister, the cost of one pill with a dosage of 20 mg can range from $12 to $18. Of course, only men with a higher than average income can afford to regularly purchase such an expensive medication. What about patients with more modest incomes? The best solution for them is to buy generics of Cialis.

Generics are full-fledged analogues of a branded drug containing the same active substance as their prototype, only produced by companies other than the manufacturer of the original drug, and sold under other brand names. There are many generics of Tadalafil, and in addition to traditional pills, manufacturers offer such release forms as soft tablets for dissolving in the mouth or chewing (they begin to work earlier than ordinary pills), oral sachets that don’t require washing them down with water, and even capsules.

When Will Generic Cialis Be Available to US Patients?

In connection with the foregoing, the question arises, when will generic Tadalafil be available to US residents? So far, it seems that pharmacies don’t offer any alternatives to this Tadalafil-containing medicine. In fact, one generic of Cialis is already sold in the United States since the middle of 2018, this is Tadalafil manufactured by the Israeli company Teva, which in 2017 signed an exclusive contract with Eli Lilly for the production of a generic Cialis, approved for sale in the United States. But this medicine is not very popular, because although its price is lower than the of the original drug, but not to a great extent, and this drug is rarely found in the pharmacies.

Today, one can purchase a wide variety of generic Tadalafil online. Many online drugstores offer a wide range of generics, and you can choose an intermediary pharmacy located in the United States and place an express delivery order for a maximum of three days, or you can do otherwise and make an order directly at a foreign pharmacy, from where the package will go longer (up to 12-14 days), but where usually the choice of generic ED drugs is wider.

Which Generic Tadalafil To Choose?

Currently, the products of India, Canada, Hungary and New Zealand are leading the market of generic drugs for treatment of erectile dysfunction. The most attractive prices are offered by Indian manufacturers, at the same time, the medicines are of high quality, not inferior to their Canadian competitors. The advantage of Indian generics is that Indian pharmacies are very active in international trade, in particular, the United States is a popular destination in which delivery is more than expeditious. A number of pharmaceutical companies in India are exclusively engaged in the production of analogues of brand-name drugs. The popular Indian generics of Cialis include Vidalista, Tadarise, Tadadel, Tadacip and several others. These drugs can be found not only in standard dosages of 5, 10 and 20 mg, but also in versions of 2.5 mg (for the most timid patients), 15 mg (intermediate between the medium and maximum dosage) and 40 mg (ultra-high dosage; tablet containing 40 mg of Tadalafil can’t be taken whole, it is designed to be divided into two parts and is made in order to reduce the cost of one dose).

Before buying a generic medication, it is recommended to study the instructions for use, read reviews of other patients about the product and check whether the pharmacy has a valid license to sell medicines. The websites of all pharmacies that are engaged in delivery of drugs to other countries are available in English. (Dr. Jaber Ali Alanzi, MD)