What is Viagra?

Viagra is a type of phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor and is generically known as oral Sildenafil. Viagra relaxes the blood vessels in the penis, allowing blood to flow into the organ upon sexual arousal. Viagra works (helps to achieve an erection) only if the man is already sexually stimulated. If one does not have erectile dysfunction, then Viagra should not be taken. Viagra should not be taken by women.

Viagra tablets are coated in a blue film, and are diamond-shaped with smoothed edges. On one side Viagra tablets are marked 'PFIZER'; on the reverse side they are marked 'VGR 100', 'VGR 50' or 'VGR 125' depending on strength. Viagra pills are packaged ‘blister-type’ in 1, 4, 8 or 12.

Precautions

It is very important to take Viagra only under medical supervision, within a prescribed dosage range. Anyone intending to take Viagra should be assessed for cardiac risk beforehand. Advice must be sought if there is any condition present that might predispose the intended user to priapism (where the penis maintains erection when there is no sexual arousal). Advice must also be sought if there is anatomical deformation of the penis.

Side Effects of Viagra

Very few drugs work absolutely perfectly, and Viagra is no exception to this. Side effects arise because the drug flows right through the body and may affect parts of the body unintentionally.

Prior to the approval of Viagra by the FDA, the drug was extensively tested in over 4500 men. The incidence of adverse side effects causing subjects to drop out of the test was almost equal in patients taking placebo (2.3%) and those taking Viagra (2.5%) of the total sample.

Mild symptoms most frequently reported include: flushing, mild headaches (Viagra, as a side effect in some men, opens up arteries in the lining of the brain and causes excess pressure), nasal congestion and Dyspepsia (indigestion). The adverse events are generally transient and mild in nature. Occasionally Viagra can have a temporary effect upon vision. Viagra blocks PDE5, but it also has an effect on PDE6, which is used in the cone cells in the retina, controlling colour vision. A blue tinge can sometimes be seen for up to half a day.