Erectile dysfunction, or ED, and sometimes also called impotence, is the difficulty in getting or keeping an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. Erectile dysfunction usually targets older men, but male sexual dysfunction is not necessarily the result of aging, according to MedlinePlus. In younger men, it is usually due to a disease, injury or side effect of drugs. Many reasonable non-surgical treatment options, such as oral medications, exist for treating erectile dysfunction.
Sildenafil
Sildenafil, or Viagra, belongs to a class of medications known as phosphodiesterase type 5, or PDE5, inhibitors. Doctors prescribe Viagra to help men get and keep an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. Viagra and other PDE5 inhibitors work by releasing nitric oxide, a naturally occurring chemical substance in the body, in the penis. Nitric oxide helps relax the smooth muscles in the penis during sexual intercourse; this makes the tiny blood vessels inside the penis fill with blood, helping you get and keep an erection, according to MayoClinic.com.
Vardenafil
Vardenafil, or Levitra, is also a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor like Viagra, and is also prescribed for erectile dysfunction in men. While Viagra should be taken 60 minutes before sex, Levitra can be taken 30 minutes prior to having sex. For most men whose erections are not firm enough to have intercourse, this medication works well and has few side effects. Men achieve and maintain erection by increasing blood flow to the penis. Vardenafil does not seem to cure ED or increase sexual desire; it only causes erections when a man gets sexually excited, according to MedlinePlus.
Tadalafil
Tadalafil is a PDE5 inhibitor and a vasoactive drug used for treating erectile dysfunction. It is currently sold under the brand name Cialis. Tadalafil works by affecting the blood vessels in the penis in respect to the degree of their relaxation and contraction. According to MayoClinic.com, while the effects of Viagra and Levitra wear off in four hours, the effects of Cialis can last 36 hours. Not everyone who takes tadalafil will experience side effects. When side effects do occur, they include headache, flushing, indigestion, stuffy or runny nose and temporary loss of vision. Tadalafil also can interact with certain medications such as nitrate drugs taken for chest pain or heart problems, including nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate.
