The most popular pill for impotence: Viagra

Erectile dysfunction brings a lot of grief and tension among couples. Not being able to satisfy one’s partner can take a toll on the mental and the physical health of a person. The mind is filled with thoughts of guilt, embarrassment and thinking of scenarios where the person might fail. Basically, with erectile dysfunction the person becomes unable to perform physically due to the condition; but his mental health also gets affected, in time becoming a hindrance to a healthy living of the person and the couple.

So is the condition incurable? Well we are far too advanced in medical science for that to happen. Pills that help in the treatment of erectile dysfunction have become a key source of joy for most couples who were affected by erectile dysfunction in the past.

Now, how can one know if one has erectile dysfunction? Normally all men in the world have faced difficulty in gaining an erection at least once in their life. Does it mean the person has ED? No! At times, stress, prior ailments or lack of stimulation can also attribute to the inability to gain or maintain an erection. It is when the frequency of these incidents increases, that the person needs to be concerned and consult a medical professional immediately.

Erectile dysfunction can have a wide range of effects on the body. It should be noted that the condition can also be an underlying symptom of various other cardiac or neural ailments.

What is Viagra made of?

Viagra is the world’s first oral erectile dysfunction pill, having gained FDA Approval in 1998. It is a blue, diamond shaped pill that is carefully packaged and marketed with various dosages that we will see later.

Following are the ingredients present in a pill of Viagra:

Active ingredient:

Sildenafil Citrate

Inactive ingredients: 

Microcrystalline Cellulose, Anhydrous Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Croscarmellose Sodium, Magnesium Stearate, Hypromellose, Titanium Dioxide, Lactose, Triacetin, and FD & C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake.

Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, present in the pill is actually a PDE5 inhibitor that works by blocking an enzyme called Phosphodiesterase Type 5, while boosting another chemical called Nitric Oxide. These actions initiate the relaxation of the blood vessels in the penile region. The nearby muscles and muscles fibers are also relaxed. This action allows the blood in the vicinity to flow into the vessels swelling them up and allowing the person to have an erection firm enough for intercourse.

Sildenafil Citrate dosage

Viagra is available in the market in the following strengths;

• 50 mg
• 100 mg
• 150 mg
• 200 mg

The pill is normally taken one hour prior to sexual activity as a single pill. The effect of the pill starts from 30 mins of ingestion and the effect stays for at least 4 hours.

Sildenafil uses

• Being an ED pill, the primary use of Viagra is to help the user to have erections by relaxing the blood vessels in the penile region.
• Viagra is also used to treat pulmonary hypertension
• Altitude sickness is also treated by the medication.

Is it safe to take Sildenafil Citrate?

The active ingredient in Viagra, Sildenafil Citrate is an interesting compound. Mostly it is not as harmful as speculated. But, everything when abused becomes a harmful substance. Sildenafil is compatible with the human physiology; however certain points need to be kept in mind:

• Cardiac, renal and hepatic, neural patients should avoid this drug, as the medication can worsen the condition.
• Anyone under 18 years of age should not take this pill.
• Women have special pill versions of the medication that are based on the female physiology. Blue Viagra pills are made for the male physiology and should be used as such.
• People who take nitrate medication should also avoid this drug.
• Never take alcohol with Viagra. This interaction between the two substances can dangerously lower the blood pressure of the person, which may even result in death.

As seen, Viagra, when wisely used can be a very useful medication to treat erectile dysfunction and lead a happy, satisfied life with your partner.

Sildenafil Citrate side effects

• Headache.
• Flushing.
• Upset stomach.
• Abnormal visions, such as changes in color vision (such as having a blue color tinge) and blurred vision.
• Stuffy or runny nose.
• Back pain.
• Muscle pain.
• Nausea.