Vardenafil vs. Sildenafil: A Comparative Analysis

Irritation and inflammation inside the nostrils can also happen with vardenafil. Known medically as rhinitis, this side effect can result in a blocked airway or a runny nose. In clinical trials with vardenafil, nine percent of men who used the medication to treat ED developed symptoms of rhinitis. This side effect may be more common with vardenafil than other ED treatments. For example, only two to four percent of men prescribed Cialis in clinical trials reported nasal congestion. About three percent of men who use vardenafil also report sinusitis, another form of nasal irritation and congestion. And general flu-like symptoms affect around three percent of users.

What Side Effects Can You Expect From These Medications?

While most adverse effects are mild, some may be more serious. We’ll list the common and uncommon side effects of vardenafil and what you can do to deal with them and improve your experience while using this medication for ED. These drugs increase blood flow to erectile tissues in the penis, making it easier to get and keep an erection with sexual stimulation. It’s one of several medications for ED. Others include sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and avanafil (Stendra).

What should I know about vardenafil before taking it?

Vardenafil is available as 2.5mg, 5mg, 10mg, or 20mg (milligrams) oral tablets. It’s also sold as disintegrating tablets under the brand name Staxyn®. Vardenafil pills are designed to be taken about an hour before sexual activity. You can take it with or without food, but it might work more quickly if you take it on an empty stomach. The effects can last five to seven hours, making vardenafil a great choice for single-night use compared to longer-acting ED medications. Like the other common side effects of vardenafil, nasal congestion usually fades gradually as the medication leaves your body.

Indigestion is a fairly common side effect reported by about four percent of men who use vardenafil. You can usually treat indigestion (and resulting heartburn) from vardenafil and other oral ED drugs with over-the-counter medications and antacids. If you have frequent or severe indigestion from vardenafil, talk to your healthcare provider for medical advice.

What is sildenafil (Viagra®)?

Headaches typically fade away on their own as the drug exits your system. Since the medication has a moderate half-life, it’s rare for this side effect to last more than five hours. If you get severe headaches, it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider. They may suggest adjusting your dosage or using over-the-counter medication to reduce the severity of your headaches. Our guide to dealing with headaches from ED medications has more tips. Nausea is a common side effect of many medications — and it can happen with ED drugs like vardenafil.

• Vardenafil 20mg is available by prescription and should be used under medical supervision.
• Do not exceed the recommended dose to prevent increased side effects.
• Inform your doctor of any health conditions before use.

In clinical trials, two percent of men who used Levitra to treat erectile dysfunction developed nausea.

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Flushing is the second-most common side effect of vardenafil. In clinical trials, 11 percent of men who used the medication experienced it, compared to just one percent of those who got a placebo. Flushing may develop due to the medication’s effects on blood vessels. You might notice that your cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead take on an inflamed, red appearance. Like other side effects, flushing typically improves over a few hours as the active ingredient exits your system. Like other vardenafil side effects, nausea is generally mild and temporary. If you feel nauseous after taking the medication, your healthcare provider may adjust your dosage, recommend taking your dose with a small amount of food, or suggest using anti-nausea medicine. Alternatively, they may suggest switching to a different type of medication to treat erectile dysfunction. A small percentage of men who use vardenafil experience some degree of dizziness after taking the medication. In clinical trials, around two percent of men given a typical dose of Levitra noted that they felt dizzy while the medication was active. Several PDE5 inhibitor medications are linked to visual disturbances. These may include a noticeable color tinge to your eyesight, increased sensitivity to light, or blurred vision.

• The onset of Vardenafil 20mg effects usually occurs within 30 minutes.
• Effects can last up to 4-5 hours, providing a window for sexual activity.
• Food, especially high-fat meals, may delay its absorption.

Though visual disturbances are more common with other ED medications than with vardenafil, a small percentage of users report ocular side effects.

In a small 2019 study, men who took a 40mg dose of vardenafil temporarily made more errors in a vision test (the Farnsworth–Munsell D100 color vision test) than those given a placebo.

Generic Levitra Vs Viagra Cost

Priapism can be treated successfully in a hospital, helping you avoid lasting damage to the erectile tissues of your penis. Vardenafil and other ED medications are linked to cases of optic nerve damage causing decreased vision. Vision changes are a very uncommon side effect of PDE5 inhibitors. If you experience sudden vision loss in one or both eyes after using vardenafil, seek medical attention immediately. Vision loss could be a sign of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

Serious side effects

That’s when optic nerve damage causes permanent vision loss in one or both eyes. Although research hasn’t established a direct link between PDE5 inhibitor use and damage to the optic nerve, some studies suggest an association. If you have a history of vision issues or any underlying NAION risk factors, tell your healthcare provider before using medications to treat ED. Vardenafil and other PDE5 inhibitors have been linked to hearing issues, including some cases of sudden hearing loss. In a report from 2010, researchers discussed a patient who experienced a sudden loss of hearing after using vardenafil to treat erectile dysfunction. But 24 hours later, their vision was back to normal. If you have noticeable or persistent visual disturbances while using vardenafil, contact your healthcare provider.

Warnings of Levitra and Viagra

Our blog on Levitra versus Viagra compares vardenafil to another single-night-use ED medication. Serious side effects from vardenafil and other ED medications are uncommon, only affecting a small percentage of men who use them. However, they can still happen, and some may require urgent medical attention when they occur. Let’s go over the more serious potential side effects and drug interactions of vardenafil, including those that call for medical help. Priapism is a painful, prolonged erection lasting four hours or longer.

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It happens when blood can’t flow out of the penis after an erection. When untreated, priapism can damage erectile tissues inside the penis. There have been rare reports of priapism from all medications used to treat erectile dysfunction, including vardenafil. Still, priapism is a serious medical issue. If you get an erection that lasts four or more hours after using vardenafil, seek medical assistance immediately. Since vardenafil dilates blood vessels throughout the body, it can cause a temporary decrease in blood pressure. This drop is usually mild and won’t negatively affect your health if you don’t already have cardiovascular issues. If you have cardiovascular disease or currently take medication to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), using vardenafil could potentially lead to more serious health problems. You should also discuss any history of ulcers, leukemia, sickle cell anemia, or bleeding disorders with a healthcare professional before taking this medication. Vardenafil is a widely used medication most men can take without issues. However, like other prescription drugs, it can potentially interfere with other medications and substances. All PDE5 inhibitors, including vardenafil, shouldn’t be used with nitrites or other drugs prescribed to treat angina (chest pain) or heart failure.

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This was only the second known case of hearing loss associated with vardenafil at the time the study came out — roughly seven years after the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) initially approved the medication. This makes hearing loss one of the rarest potential side effects of vardenafil. If you experience hearing loss (with or without tinnitus and dizziness) after taking vardenafil, seek immediate medical treatment. Vardenafil can cause several common side effects, most of which are mild and temporary: These side effects are similar to those of other ED medications.

Who should not take sildenafil?

So switching to Viagra or Cialis may not be much better. Most men who use brand-name or generic vardenafil don’t have significant issues. In clinical trials, only 3.4 percent of participants stopped taking the medication due to side effects (compared to 1.1 percent for a placebo). Headaches are by far the most common side effect of vardenafil and other oral medications used to treat ED. According to the FDA, around 15 percent of cialis or viagra for women men who use vardenafil get one. When combined with nitrates, vardenafil can cause a significant, sudden decrease in blood pressure that may be life-threatening. Low blood pressure (hypotension) can lead to heart problems like irregular heartbeat, heart rhythm changes, dizziness, heart attack, and potentially death. Nitrate medications include nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, and isosorbide mononitrate. Those used recreationally (called “poppers”) can also interact with the medication. Vardenafil can also interact with alpha-blockers, a type of medication used to treat hypertension and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The same goes for male-enhancement supplements with phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors in the ingredients.

Our guide to ED medication and heart disease has more info on treating ED when you have a cardiovascular medical condition. Medications that inhibit the cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzyme may increase vardenafil’s effects in the body.

• Vardenafil 20mg may interact with certain antibiotics, antifungals, or HIV meds.
• Always disclose current medications to your healthcare provider.
• Drug interactions can alter effectiveness or increase side effects.

In some cases, your healthcare provider will tell you to adjust your vardenafil dosage to use it safely with these medications. Let your healthcare provider know if you use any of these medications before taking vardenafil. Although most men can use Levitra and generic vardenafil safely, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about potential risks before you get started. There are also several steps to take on your own to ensure vardenafil is safe and effective: Talk to your healthcare provider about heart conditions.