Cialis belongs to a class of medications called PDE5 inhibitors. It is commonly taken about 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to intercourse with or without food. Although an erection is only initiated with sexual stimulation, Cialis lasts about 24-36 hours in the system, making it the perfect weekend choice.
Tadalafil is the main ingredient in Cialis. The method of action, dose, strength, and directions are the same. The only difference is price. While most people prefer generic Tadalafil, some like to stick with brand name Cialis.
Cialis is a well-tolerated drug; however, side effects may occur and they differ from person to person. Common side effects include: headaches, abnormal vision, facial flushing, upset stomach, runny or stuffy nose, muscle pain, and/or nausea. If you have a prolonged erection for more than 4 hours, you must seek immediate medical attention. Be sure to follow the directions provided by your prescriber and become familiar with the important safety information provided to you.
Cialis is authorized by Health Canada for the treatment of male sexual function problems, symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. For erectile dysfunction, it helps stimulate the body’s normal response to increase blood flow to the penis.
Cialis belongs to a group of medications called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. This class of medication ultimately increases blood flow to the penis by preventing an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type-5 from working too quickly. By controlling the enzyme, Tadalafil helps initiate and prolong erections in men who have difficulty getting or staying erect. Tadalafil can last up to 36 hours, making it the go to “weekend” drug for erectile dysfunction.
Cialis’ effectiveness has been seen to last for up to 36 hours; it begins to take effect 30-60 minutes after it is taken, and its peak effect is at 2 hours. Its long effectiveness allows you to take it well in advance making it easier to plan for sexual activity over a longer period of time.
When Cialis is used for erectile dysfunction, it begins to work within 30-60 minutes. It then continues to work for up to 24-36 hours, with its peak effect being 2 hours after it’s taken. Cialis also must be taken before you plan on being sexually active. When taken at a lower prescribed dose (5mg) at the same time every day, Cialis increases the ability to achieve and maintain an erection under sexual stimulation (effects are seen after 4 to 5 days).
Cialis can be prescribed as needed, or once daily for ED. If taken as needed before sexual activity, with a typical starting dose of 10mg or 20 mg, a higher dose is needed than in the once daily regimen (5mg). Taking Cialis once daily will allow the medication to build up in your system, making it up to 1.6-times the daily dose. This means 5mg daily can have the same effect as taking 8mg. Both the as needed and the once daily regimens should be specific to the patients age, medical history and health conditions.
The most common reported side effects of Cialis include, but are not limited to, fast or irregular heartbeat, dizziness, headache, muscle aches, confusion, blurred vision, faintness, spontaneous penile erection and chills. If these side effects become persistent and/or bothersome, please contact your provider to discuss whether or not the medication should be stopped.
If you start to experience rare, but serious, side effects such as prolonged painful erection for more than 4 hours (priapism), sudden vision loss, ringing in your ears, chest pain, trouble breathing or hives- please seek medical attention immediately.
Although Cialis has been shown to be safe for most men, it may not be suitable with certain medical conditions, and sometimes it may be used only if extra care is taken. For these reasons, men with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart conditions or blood vessel disease, sickle cell anemia, leukemia, multiple myeloma, any injury or deformity of the penis, low blood pressure or angina, history of stroke or heart attack, liver or kidney problems, bleeding conditions that cause ulcers, and any eye condition causing loss of vision, may be subject to adverse reactions. Please inform our providers if you suffer from any of these conditions or if you are taking any medications (prescribed or over the counter) that may interact with Cialis.
Before taking Cialis, please inform your provider if you are taking any medications that are known to interact with Cialis. Some prescription medications that interact with Cialis include alpha-blockers, other PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil, vardenafil), oral antifungal medicines (ketoconazole, itraconazole), antibiotics (clarithromycin, erythromycin), nitrates (nitroglycerin), guanylate cyclase stimulators (riociguat) and HIV protease inhibitors (ritonavir, atazanavir sulfate, saquinavir).
