Sildenafil 25mg / 50mg / 100mg
Sildenafil citrate is the generic form of the best-known ED medication in the world. It is a PDE5 inhibitor: it relaxes blood vessels in the penis so that arousal can produce a firm erection.
The short answer
Sildenafil is an as-needed ED tablet usually taken 30–60 minutes before sex, in 25mg, 50mg or 100mg strengths. A heavy or fatty meal slows how quickly it works. It requires arousal to work, is prescription only, and must never be combined with nitrates.
- Active ingredients
- Sildenafil citrate
- Form
- Oral tablet, as needed
- Best for
- Men who want the classic, well-studied as-needed option
- Duration
- A shorter window than tadalafil — a few hours for most men
Dosing and timing
Most men start at 50mg and their provider adjusts up or down based on response and side effects. It is taken no more than once in 24 hours. Because sildenafil is absorbed in the gut, a large fatty meal can delay onset noticeably — which is one reason sublingual rapid-dissolve formulations exist.
Side effects
Commonly reported: headache, flushing, indigestion, nasal congestion, and a temporary blue-ish tint or light sensitivity in vision. Seek emergency care for an erection lasting more than four hours (priapism), or for sudden vision or hearing loss.
Who should not take it
Do not take sildenafil with nitrates (nitroglycerin, isosorbide, or 'poppers') or riociguat. Talk to your provider before starting if you have heart disease, low blood pressure, severe liver or kidney disease, retinitis pigmentosa, or if you take alpha blockers for blood pressure or prostate symptoms.
See if it's right for you
A licensed provider reviews your intake and decides whether this treatment is appropriate. Prescription only, subject to approval.
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