Sildenafil citrate is a prescription drug known as the active ingredient in Pfizer’s best-selling ED medication known globally as Viagra®.
Sildenafil citrate is used to treat erectile dysfunction in men. It is also used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in men and women.
Sildenafil works by inhibiting the enzymes that prevent blood vessels from dilating, therefore preventing blood from circulating freely through your body.
Pfizer patented sildenafil citrate in 1998 and marketed it as Viagra® to consumers worldwide. In 2005, the FDA greenlit and approved sildenafil citrate as a treatment for PAH. Pfizer marketed another version of sildenafil citrate under the brand name Revatio® to distinguish it from Viagra®.
Pfizer’s patent on sildenafil citrate expired in 2020, allowing pharmaceutical manufacturers to manufacture and distribute more affordable versions of the renowned ED treatment across the market.
Generic sildenafil is chemically identical to Viagra® and Revatio®, as are its effects, and is sold under its generic name.
What is sildenafil?
Sildenafil is the generic name of Viagra® and is the active ingredient of the latter. Pfizer markets sildenafil as Viagra® and Revatio®. The latter is used to treat PAH at a lower dose of 20 mg, while the former is used as a front-line treatment for erectile dysfunction.
Pfizer’s patent for sildenafil expired in 2017, allowing other pharmaceutical companies to distribute their versions of sildenafil. Said generic forms of sildenafil have since become widely available at a significantly lower price point than branded Viagra®, despite being chemically and functionally identical to its branded form.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that generic pharmaceutical manufacturers prove the bioequivalence of their medicines to show that their version of the product works exactly the same way as the original drug. In sildenafil’s case, that would be Viagra®.
Getting ED medication has never been easier
Connect with a US-licensed healthcare provider for a FREE evaluation!
Free Express
Shipping
Discreet
Shipping
No Waiting
Rooms
How does sildenafil work?
Sildenafil works by opening up the blood vessels leading to your penis, increasing blood flow which causes an erection during sexual stimulation. Sildenafil’s vasodilating effect makes it easier to achieve and maintain a fuller, harder, and more satisfying erection while engaging in sexual activity.
Sildenafil will NOT give you an instant erection upon taking it. One of the prerequisites is that you should be in a state of sexual arousal for it to work, and it may take up to 2 hours before effects start to kick in. However, sildenafil’s effects are usually felt within 30-40 minutes.
Viagra® vs. Sildenafil: is there any difference?
In a nutshell, not as far as the effects are concerned.
Apart from the brand names used and the difference in packaging, Viagra® and its generic counterpart in sildenafil are exactly the same ED treatment.
No chemical differences exist between generic sildenafil and Pfizer’s Viagra®.
Essentially, all things being equal (including dosage), you should experience the same effects from generic sildenafil as a branded Viagra® pill.
Viagra® is available in 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg dosages; if you’re planning to switch from Viagra® to generic sildenafil, make sure that you’re buying tablets with the same dosage prescribed by your doctor or healthcare provider.
However, there is one major difference between branded and generic sildenafil: the price.
A single tablet of Viagra® can cost as much as $60 to $70 in the United States, while generic sildenafil is available at a fraction of the cost. Generic sildenafil is available for as low as $3 a tablet at the pharmacy or when buying online.
Does sildenafil work as well as Viagra?
Sildenafil literally IS Viagra®, so it works just the same as Viagra® will. Sildenafil is a PDE5 inhibitor, which essentially opens the floodgates preventing erections in men suffering from ED.
PDE5 is an enzyme that breaks down cGMP, a substance responsible for increasing blood flow and contributing to harder erections. PDE5 is a naturally-occurring enzyme that breaks down cGMP as part of the body’s response after sex to reduce blood flow in the penis so an erection can subside.
PDE5 inhibitors, a class of drugs that sildenafil, tadalafil (Cialis®), vardenafil (Levitra®), and avanafil (Stendra®) belong to, essentially inhibit the normal bodily process that signals your body to stop an erection.
Depending on which pharmaceutical company produces the medication, the exact formulation and the color or shape of their pills may vary – but as FDA-approved generic drugs, they are mandated by law to work exactly the same way (known as “bioequivalence”) as their original branded versions.
Getting ED medication has never been easier
Connect with a US-licensed healthcare provider for a FREE evaluation!
Free Express
Shipping
Discreet
Shipping
No Waiting
Rooms
How should you take sildenafil?
Once sildenafil is prescribed, it is usually taken as follows:
- Take one sildenafil tablet as your doctor prescribes around 1 hour before sexual activity
- Swallow the tablet with water
- You can expect sildenafil to start kicking in within 30-40 minutes to an hour
- Sildenafil only works with sexual stimulation and being in a state of arousal
Never take more than one sildenafil tablet every 24 hours.
You can take sildenafil with or without food. However, it’s best taken on an empty stomach. Consuming high-calorie and fatty foods before taking sildenafil may reduce its metabolism, so it might take longer to produce the desired effect.
Refrain from excessive alcohol consumption on the days you wish to take sildenafil since alcohol is a known and proven erection killer.
Moreover, grapefruits and grapefruit juice tend to delay sildenafil absorption, making its effects less predictable, so refrain from consuming such products when taking sildenafil.
What are the side effects of sildenafil?
You may experience the following side effects when you take sildenafil:
- Headaches
- Malaise or a general feeling of illness
- Hot flushes
- Light-headedness or dizziness
Generally, any side effects are typically mild and subside over time. Consult your doctor if you have any concerns about sildenafil, its side effects, and its interactions with any medications or treatments you are currently undergoing. They will be able to prescribe the right dose or recommend another ED drug for your particular case.
