These days you can barely turn around or look at your email inbox without seeing an advertisement about the male enhancement drugs Viagra, Levitra and Cialis. These drugs are often lumped together and are occasionally thought to be interchangeable. However, there are differences between these three drugs and their benefits are all slightly different. Here we will explore the differences and similarities of these medicines so that you, as the consumer, can make an educated choice and talk with your doctor about which drug would fit your particular situation.
Viagra
Viagra, which goes by the generic name sildenafil, is mainly prescribed to treat men who are suffering from erectile disfunction.
The active ingredient in Viagra, sildenafil, works by relaxing muscles and increasing blood flow to various areas of the body, including the genital region.
Patients generally take Viagra only when it is needed. The drug is not meant to be taken once per day. While each patient\'s usage of the drug may differ according to their needs and doctor\'s directions, most patients take Viagra 30 minutes to and hour before they intend to have sex. The effects last up to 4 hours.
Viagra does not provide an erection by itself. The drug simply makes it easier for patients to achieve erections during sexual stimulation. Some Viagra users experience vision loss, due to the drug reducing blood flow to the optic nerve. Patients over 50 who suffer from diabetes, heart disease or have experience prior eye conditions are most at risk of experiencing vision loss. Patients who are already taking nitrate drugs for heart conditions can not take Viagra.
Levitra
Levitra is also known by the generic name Vardenafil. Like Viagra, it works by relaxing muscles and increasing blood flow to the genital region.
Levitra needs to be taken about 1 hour before a patient expects to engage in sexual activity. The drug does not cause an erection, but makes it easier for the patient to acheive one during sexual stimulation. Levitra is not to be taken more than once every 24 hours.
Levitra can cause a reduction of blood flow to the optic nerve, similar to Viagra. Also like Viagra, Levitra cannot be taken by patients who also take nitrate drugs for heart conditions.
Cialis
Cialis, which goes by the generic name tadalafil, also works by relaxing muscles and increasing blood flow to the genital region, making it easier for impotent patients to achieve erections. Cialis is also prescribed to patients who suffer from benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Cialis cannot be taken by patients who are already taking nitrate drugs or other impotence drugs. The drug cannot be taken more than once a day and must be ingested just before sexual activity. Low doses of Cialis may be prescribed daily to enable patients to be ready for sex that may occur more spontaneously.
Grapefruit needs to be avoided while taking Cialis, due to dangerous side effects that can occur.
Cialis, much like Viagra and Levitra, can also reduce the optic nerve\'s bloodflow. This may lead to vision loss in patients more than 50 years old suffering from heart problems, previous eye conditions or diabetes.

Viagra is a popular drug, well known for its effectiveness in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, however that was not the original purpose for the creation of this drug. Viagra, or its original name sildenafil, was first intended for the treatment of heart conditions, such as hypertension and angina.

Viagra and its History

Viagra, or sildenafil was originally developed by a team of British pharmaceutical scientists for the purpose of treating hypertension and angina pectoris, a heart disease symptom, and the pain associated with its condition. Because Sildenafil seemed to be effective in helping with poor blood circulation, a major cause of heart disease, it was believed that this drug would make an effective treatment for that condition. The drug was tested on men in 1991 and 1992, but these clinical trials revealed that, while it seemed to have little effect on heart disease, it had a major impact on erectile dysfunction.

Viagra Sales Soar

With the discovery that sildenafil, now known as Viagra, was so effective in treating men with erectile dysfunction, Pfizer began to commercialize the drug as a remedy for this condition. In 1996, they had it patented. In the latter part of March 1998, the US Food & Drug Administration approved Viagra for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, making it the first oral medication of its kind to be approved in the US by the FDA. Later that year, after being put on sale as a prescription drug for erectile dysfunction, sales began to soar. The sale of Viagra was such a huge success that it made over 1 billion dollars in sales in just a couple of years, from 1999 to 2001.

Sales Begin to Fall

A short time later, a strategy was put in place to aggressively promote Viagra as a remedy for erectile dysfunction. With that, Viagra began to get endorsements on TV, featuring such high profile US personalities as senator Bob Dole, and soccer superstar Pelé. This caused Viagra to become not just available on a prescription-only basis, of which was the major way that sales of the product were produced. It soon became easily accessible via the internet. To add to the problem, a number of copycat companies and fake over-the-counter products were produced, which also led to drastically reduced sales. By 2007, with the development of Levitra and Cialis, Viagra's largest competitors, sales dropped even more.

Possible Side Effects of Viagra

Although many men still take Viagra for erectile dysfunction, there are some possible side effects that can occur with the use of this medicine, some of which are serious enough to be worth noting. Some of these are:

• Painful erection lasting for more than six hours
• Loss of peripheral vision, or loss of eyesight
• Ringing in ears, or sudden hearing loss
• Chest pain, fainting and/or irregular heart beat
• Memory loss and/or loss of coordination

There can also be an allergic reaction which can cause swelling, hives, difficulty breathing, etc. Although these are some of the more severe reactions, there are other less serious, but bothersome side effects as well. These include, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, stuffy nose, heartburn and stomach upset.

Conclusion

Although many men have successfully used and enjoyed Viagra as a remedy for erectile dysfunction, it is important to know the risks. See your doctor regularly and report any changes immediately.

Know as “the little blue pill”, Viagra has help thousands of men overcome erectile dysfunction. Over the years, other useful benefits of Viagra have come to light.

Viagra may help curb terrorism. A CIA officer claims to have given an Afghan chieftain four Viagra pills and -- when he returned four days later -- the chieftain was so happy with the results that he gave the CIA officer inside information about Taliban supply routes and movements. After which he asked for more blue pills. It is no secret the CIA buys information in their quest to protect America, however, the offer of money is not always enough incentive for chieftains and warlords who all ready have a large stack of cash handy. Medication -- such as Viagra -- is not readily available in most of these countries and CIA officers can use it to influence, make friends and bargain with.

Viagra saved the life of a dog suffering from a heart condition. When a border collie named Talisker suffered a lung infection, he developed a heart condition that caused him to pass out whenever he got excited. If something wasn’t done soon, Talisker would surely die from the heart condition. Fortunately, the quick-thinking vet prescribed Talisker Viagra to help improve blood flow to the pup’s heart. Even though Talisker’s owner was a little skeptical at first, she soon realized the positive effects that Viagra had on her furry friend who is expected to live a long and happy life.

Viagra may relieve jetlag by restoring the body’s normal function when the internal body clock is thrown off. Dr Diego Golombek, Santiago Plano and Patricia Agostino from the Universidad Nacional de Quilmes in Buenos Aires conducted a study on hamsters to determine if sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra) would affect the body’s’ internal clock. The three scientist injected hamsters with sildenafil at night and subjected them to six hours of bright lights earlier than normal. The studies found that the hamsters treated with sildenafil were able to run on their wheels -- thus recovering -- 25 to 30 percent sooner than the hamster not treated.

Yes, i'm viagro, i know everything about the little "blue pills" and will provide you many interesting informations about it in the comming post ... be prepared for the journey of your life.