Generic Viagra, an Rx tablet taken as needed for erectile dysfunction

Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is an oral tablet, Rx only, a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor, and FDA-approved to treat erectile dysfunction. It is the active ingredient of brand Viagra, and sildenafil works just like Viagra. Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is indicated for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and is taken as needed to achieve and maintain an erection when aroused.

What erectile dysfunction problem generic Viagra is for

Erectile dysfunction is trouble getting or maintaining an erection firm enough for sexual activity. It typically results from insufficient blood flow to the penis. Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is indicated for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). The tablet is oral, Rx only, and FDA-approved to treat erectile dysfunction. It is taken as needed to achieve and maintain an erection when aroused, and the same direction is to take it as needed to boost your ability to achieve and maintain an erection. Used that way, it is meant to make an erection easier by increasing blood flow to the penis when aroused.

Other factors are named with that problem. They include physical factors such as cardiovascular conditions; diabetes and high blood pressure; psychological factors such as stress, anxiety or depression; lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and drug use; hormonal imbalances; neurological conditions; age; and medications. Share all of these details with your medical provider before requesting treatment. The tablet is not described as a treatment for every factor on that list. It may be given for other reasons. Those reasons are not named. Talk with the doctor.

What generic Viagra is

The same tablet is called Generic Viagra, generic sildenafil citrate (Viagra), Viagra’s generic, a generic form of Viagra, Sildenafil Citrate, sildenafil, and Sildenafil Tablets (Erectile Dysfunction). Two pronunciations are written for the name: (sil DEN a fil), and (suhl • DEH • nuh • fl) CITRATE.

Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is an oral medication, an oral tablet, and Rx only. It is FDA-approved to treat erectile dysfunction. It is also described as clinically proven to treat erectile dysfunction. That wording is not a result for every person. The class is a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor, also written phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5). It is the active ingredient of brand Viagra. This drug has an FDA warning.

A generic is described as available under the name Sildenafil 100mg Tablets. Strengths of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg are also named. None of them says 100 mg is the only strength.

Nitrates and poppers generic Viagra must not be taken with

Nitrates named with this stop are isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, or nitroglycerin. They are often prescribed for chest pain. Do not take these drugs with Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate). You may also need to avoid taking these drugs for some time after your last dose of this drug. How long that gap is, is not stated.

Drugs called “poppers,” like amyl nitrite and butyl nitrite, sit on the same do-not-combine list. Tell the doctor if you use them.

Generic Viagra should not be taken with REVATIO or other pulmonary arterial hypertension treatments that contain sildenafil, or with PDE5 inhibitors like Adcirca (tadalafil). Tell the doctor if you take another drug like this one that is used for high pressure in the lungs.

How an erection happens with generic Viagra

Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) blocks the enzyme PDE5 (phosphodiesterase type 5). The same enzyme is also written phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5). That enzyme breaks down the chemicals responsible for blood flow, and therefore erections. PDE5 inhibitors boost the impact of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide stimulates other constituents to calm the smooth muscles of the penis, allowing blood inflow and erection to take place. It also eases the soft muscles of the blood vessels that supply the penis and increases the flow of blood needed to facilitate an erection. More blood flow to the penis makes it easier to get and stay hard when aroused. The sequence is that path when a person is aroused. It is not a guaranteed erection.

Whether generic Viagra is the same medicine as brand Viagra

Viagra is the brand name of these sildenafil tablets for erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil works just like Viagra. Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) has the same erectile-dysfunction effect as Viagra (brand-name tablets), and side effects for sildenafil are the same as those commonly associated with Viagra. Both are tied to 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg.

The tablets are still told apart by look. Brand Viagra is always a small, four-sided blue pill imprinted with the manufacturer’s name, Pfizer. The drug manufacturer is PFIZER. That name is an attribute of the brand tablet, not a second generic product. Because several companies make the generic, the pills are usually white, but they do vary in shape and color. If you are unsure which medication you were prescribed, consult your pharmacist or doctor.

Strengths named for this tablet

Strengths named for this erectile-dysfunction tablet are 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg. They are also written 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg, and as 25, 50, or 100 mg. Brand Viagra dosages are 25, 50, or 100 mg. One note that a generic is available names Sildenafil 100mg Tablets. Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) and Viagra (brand-name tablets) are both tied to these figures. Those names and figures stay together. None of them says 100 mg is the only strength. The strengths are not split apart, and they are not given different jobs.

How and when generic Viagra is taken

A prescriber decides whether generic sildenafil is used and how it is taken. That person is the doctor, also called the medical provider or the health care provider. Where the directions include the pharmacist, the pharmacist is told as well. Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is Rx only. Use this drug as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely. Follow your provider’s instructions for best results. Medication is prescribed if appropriate. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor. Individual results may vary.

This drug is used on an as needed basis. One way that is put is to take it when the moment’s right, not on a schedule. Take it 30 minutes to four hours prior to sexual activity. The same window is also written 30 minutes to 4 hours before sexual activity. Take this drug before sex when you were told by your doctor. If you are not sure when to take this drug, talk with your doctor.

Sildenafil citrate typically takes between 30 minutes to an hour to begin working. One statement says it lasts up to 12-24 hours in the body. That phrase says “in the body.” It is not how long an erection lasts. “Typically” and “up to” stay limits on those statements.

Do not use more than what your doctor told you to use. Do not use more often or longer than what you were told. Doing any of these things may raise the chance of very bad side effects. Do not take 2 doses on the same day. Do not use more often than told by the doctor.

A missed dose stays on that as-needed limit. This drug is used on an as needed basis, so a missed occasion is not replaced by an extra dose. Do not use more often than told by the doctor. Do not take 2 doses on the same day.

Who should not take it because of the heart

Sildenafil tablets should not be used in men for whom sexual activity is inadvisable due to their underlying cardiovascular status, since the medication can cause cardiac risk. If you have been told that you are not healthy enough to have sex, tell the doctor. Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) must not be used in that group.

Tell the doctor about chest pain, and that includes chest pain during sex, and about heart disease, heart failure, or high or low blood pressure. Tell the doctor about an abnormal heartbeat, heart attack, or stroke in the last 6 months.

Rarely, certain side effects like abnormal heartbeat, heart attack, stroke, bleeding in the lungs, and very bad high blood pressure have happened with this drug. Sometimes, this has been deadly. Most of the time, these problems happened in people who had heart problems before taking this drug. It is not known if this drug caused these problems.

Alpha-blockers, anti-hypertensives, ritonavir, and riociguat

Concomitant use of sildenafil tablets and alpha-blockers or anti-hypertensives may lead to hypotension, a drop in blood pressure. Alpha-blockers are commonly used for prostate problems or high blood pressure. Other drugs for high blood pressure are also named among medicines that may interact with Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate).

Ritonavir is a protease inhibitor. Concomitant administration substantially increases serum concentrations of sildenafil, the amount of sildenafil in the blood. HIV protease inhibitors are named more broadly among drugs that may interact.

Tell the doctor if you are taking riociguat or vericiguat. Guanylate cyclase stimulators are often prescribed for cardiovascular conditions and include Adempas (riociguat). Riociguat, vericiguat, and those other guanylate cyclase stimulators must not be taken with generic sildenafil.

Another erectile-dysfunction drug of this type

Tell the doctor if you are taking another drug like this one that is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), before you take Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate). Tell the doctor if you are taking another drug that has the same drug in it. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor. Do not stack one on the other without that check.

Sex drive, premature ejaculation, and anorgasmia

Taking Viagra or sildenafil does not boost libido. It is not intended to. An ED medication is not a “quick-fix” solution. ED medications are not intended to address premature ejaculation, anorgasmia (difficulty reaching orgasm), or decreased libido. Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is not a treatment for decreased libido, premature ejaculation, or anorgasmia.

When an erection is an emergency

A painful erection (hard penis), or an erection that lasts for longer than 4 hours, is a reason to call the doctor right away while taking Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate). This may happen even when you are not having sex. If this is not treated right away, it may lead to lasting sex problems and you may not be able to have sex. The same event is also listed as rare: a painful or prolonged erection lasting more than 4 hours.

A separate statement says the drug lasts up to 12-24 hours in the body. That is time in the body. It is not this erection.

Food, alcohol, and grapefruit

Food directions are given in two wordings, and both stay. One is to take Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) with or without food. The other is that it’s most effective when taken on an empty stomach, and that this medication works best on an empty stomach. “Most effective” is not a guarantee. Neither food wording cancels the other.

Alcohol directions are also given in two wordings, and both stay. One is to talk with your doctor before you drink alcohol. The other is that it’s most effective with no alcohol in the mix, and that it works best without the consumption of alcohol close to its use. Alcohol (ethanol) is a moderate interaction with generic sildenafil citrate.

Grapefruits or grapefruit juices are a moderate interaction with generic sildenafil citrate. Alcohol (ethanol) and grapefruits or grapefruit juices are the two food and beverage interactions named, and both are called moderate.

Other medicines that have to be checked

Medicines that may interact with generic sildenafil citrate include certain drugs that are used for HIV, infections, and other health problems; certain oral antifungal drugs such as ketoconazole; and specific antibiotics. Prescription or OTC drugs, natural products, and vitamins belong in the same check. Ketoconazole, specific antibiotics, and those other named medicine classes may interact with Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate).

283 medications are known to interact. The groups named above are the ones set out. This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug. The doctor and pharmacist need the full list before you start or change a dose.

What has been found in fake tablets

Surveys have found that ED drugs account for nearly 80% of illegal medicine confiscations annually. Reported in confiscated fakes of Viagra: rat poison, drywall, amphetamines, and blue ink used to replicate the blue color of the brand-name pill, Viagra (brand-name tablets). Obtain your medications from a trusted pharmacy. Counterfeit tablets are not generic sildenafil from a trusted pharmacy, and they are not Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) from that source.

HIV and hepatitis

Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) does not protect against infections that are spread through having sex, including HIV or hepatitis. To protect against these infections, use a latex or polyurethane condom.

Who makes the generic, and what is said about exclusivity

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has announced the US launch of their generic sildenafil citrate (Viagra) tablets. That announcement sits in an item dated December 11, 2017. The same item says that in July, Greenstone LLC announced they too would be offering sildenafil citrate in strengths of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg, once Viagra lost its exclusivity this month. “This month” is that item’s phrase. A separate calendar day for the loss of exclusivity is not given.

Teva Pharmaceuticals now also manufactures the generic sildenafil, along with several other companies like Aurobindo and Cambia. The manufacturer of Viagra has also, in recent years, launched its own generic version containing the active ingredient sildenafil. Brand Viagra’s drug manufacturer is named PFIZER. That name is an attribute of Viagra (brand-name tablets), not a second generic product. Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is the tablet those company statements are about.

Why sildenafil was first made

Sildenafil was created in the 1980s to treat chest pain caused by a lack of adequate blood flow to the heart, known as angina. A number of male patients reported stronger erections. The medication was then found to be a viable treatment for ED. That is the history of the substance in Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate).

Who it is not approved for

If you are female, this drug is not approved for use in females. If the patient is a child, Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is not approved for use in children.

What to tell the doctor before the first dose

If you are allergic to Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate), to any part of this drug, or to any other drugs, foods, or substances, tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had. Tell the doctor if you have a health problem called pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD). Tell the doctor if you have certain hereditary eye problems like retinitis pigmentosa. If you have sickle cell disease, talk with your doctor. If you are 65 or older, use this drug with care. You could have more side effects.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this drug with all of your drugs and health problems. This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor. Tell all of your health care providers that you take this drug. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.

Effects people are told to expect

Common adverse reactions to Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) are headache, flushing, dyspepsia, abnormal vision, nasal congestion, back pain, myalgia, nausea, dizziness, and rash.

Most common side effects are named as headache, flushing, indigestion, abnormal vision, nasal congestion, back pain, muscle pain, nausea, dizziness and rash. A shorter line on that wording names headache, flushing, and indigestion.

Other side effects come with the note that many people have no side effects or only minor side effects: flushing, headache, heartburn, upset stomach, runny or stuffy nose, muscle pain, back pain. These are not all of the side effects that may occur. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away.

Another possible-effects list names dizziness, lightheadedness, flushing, upset stomach, muscle or back pain, and vision changes such as sensitivity to light or blurred vision. On that list, headache is tied to increased nitric oxide and to blood-flow changes. Limiting caffeine and increasing water intake is described as helping that headache.

Rash stays on the common adverse reactions and on the most common side effects, as rash. Dizziness on those lists stays dizziness.

Effects that mean calling a doctor right away

Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect of Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate).

Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Also tell the doctor or get medical help right away for chest pain or pressure, a fast heartbeat, or an abnormal heartbeat; for dizziness or passing out; for severe upset stomach or throwing up; and for weakness on 1 side of the body, trouble speaking or thinking, change in balance, drooping on one side of the face, or blurred eyesight.

Change in eyesight, and loss of eyesight, belong on this list. So do ringing in the ears, hearing loss, or any other changes in hearing. Trouble breathing that is new or worse, swelling in the arms or legs, fever, and any unexplained bruising or bleeding are included.

Listed separately as rare: sudden decrease or loss of hearing / ringing in the ears, and a serious allergic reaction which may cause rash, itching/swelling, or trouble breathing. The longer allergic-sign wording and this shorter rare line are both kept. Severe eye problems have rarely happened with this drug. Some of these may lead to a change in eyesight and sometimes loss of eyesight, which may not come back.

Age 65, driving, and dizziness

If you are 65 or older, use Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) with care. You could have more side effects. Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this drug affects you. To lower the chance of feeling dizzy or passing out, rise slowly if you have been sitting or lying down. Be careful going up and down stairs.

A missed dose or too much

A missed dose of Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) follows the as-needed rule. This drug is used on an as needed basis. Do not use more often than told by the doctor. Do not take 2 doses on the same day.

Using more, more often, or longer than told may raise the chance of very bad side effects. If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

How it is stored, and what to do if it is not helping

Store Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) at room temperature in a dry place. Do not store it in a bathroom. Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets. Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else’s drugs. If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.

You may report side effects to the FDA. One pair is 1-800-332-1088 and https://www.fda.gov/medwatch. The other pair is 1-800-FDA-1088 and https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch.