Among some of the most common sildenafil side effects are facial flushing, headaches, heartburn and nasal congestion. In a study conducted by Moreira Jr. et. al. (2000), the side effect profile of sildenafil tablets was examined among a study population of men with erectile dysfunction. The clinical trial patients made up a population size of 256 males and these patients were explicitly analysed in terms of the occurrence of the common sildenafil side effects mentioned above.
The key findings of this research study were as follows:
- The frequency of the adverse effects of sildenafil was:
o Headaches: 25.4% of clinical trial patients
o Nasal congestion: 18.7% of clinical trial patients
o Heartburn: 10.5% of clinical trial patients
o Facial flushing: 30.8% of clinical trial patients
- All of the common sildenafil side effects were short lived as well as mild in severity
- Only 31.6% of patients experienced one or more side effects
- There were no withdrawals from the study relating to the severity of the side effects
- There was an observed association between high dosages of the medication and the occurrence of adverse events
The researchers of the above study concluded that this medication is typically well-tolerated and remains safe for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
Uncommon Side Effects of Sildenafil
Prolonged erection: in some rare cases, the use of sildenafil for erectile dysfunction can result in an erection that lasts longer than it ought to. An average erection can last for a few minutes to half an hour but there is no universal time for the duration of penile erection and this time may vary from person to person. However, if you find that the penile erection is lasting for longer than four hours, you should visit a hospital for treatment thereof. A prolonged erection can damage the penis and the blood inside the penis is oxygen deprived, and this may subsequently harm the surrounding tissue. If left untreated, a persistent erection can lead to permanent sexual impotence.
Cyanopsia: a study reported the onset of cyanopsia (an eyesight impairment characterised by vision with a blue tint) in men, 24 hours after an administered dosage of this medication. These patients had revealed that this rare occurrence also included blurry vision, reduced eyesight and sensitivity to light in addition to the changes in colour perception (or intensely blue-coloured vision).
The case studies reported in this review reported that normal vision returned to these patients after 21 days and this occurrence was uncommon. Other reports of changes in colour perception included red and green-coloured vision.
How to Avoid these Side Effects
As mentioned in the above study, the prevalence of side effects of this medication is dose-related. This means that higher dosages are often associated with adverse events. To avoid possible side effects, you should remain using the dose prescribed to you and not adjust this dosage unless medically advised to do so. If you feel these tablets are not effective for the management of the symptoms of your sexual disorder, you may consult a medical practitioner who may increase your dose or evaluate your treatment schedule so as to determine the reason for the ineffectiveness.
It is important that when using the medication you ensure:
- Proper sexual timing: this medicine can take anywhere from half an hour to an hour for the onset of therapeutic action. This duration of action is not definitive and changes can occur depending on the physical and medical profile of the patient. If you would like to engage in sexual activity, you should take these tablets at least at hour before sexual intercourse. This will allow the medication sufficient time to work in your body before it can induce an erection.
- Proper setting for the medication to work: for these pills to bring about their therapeutic benefits, you have to be sexually aroused. This medicine can neither function without sexual stimulation nor can it increase the duration of the penile erection. These tablets are approved for the induction and maintenance of the male erection.
- Proper dosing schedules: if you are advised to take these tablets on a regular basis, you should administer the pills are roughly the same time every day. This will allow for a consistent amount of the therapeutic in your body at most times. Furthermore, you should stick to the recommended dosage as this was advised to you based on your individual profile.
If you take less of the medication, for example, if you reduce your dose because you are afraid of the onset of side effects, the therapeutic action, or the duration of action, of the pills may be adversely affected. Moreover, administering less of the medicament can also negatively affect the onset of action of these pills (that is, how long they take to work).
The Success of Sildenafil for Erectile Dysfunction
The success of this medication is not limited to its efficacy and safety but to its long-term use as well. Although there is no set time for the safe use of these tablets, McMurray et. al. (2007) conducted an open-label four-year study into the effectiveness of these sexual dysfunction pills. During the course of this research, it was reported that the incidence of side effects was low and there were minimal circumstances where there were dose adjustments or discontinuation of treatment.
The findings of this study affirm the long-term safety and efficacy of these sildenafil tablets.
Buy Sildenafil Tablets Online
If you are wondering – what is sildenafil and how is it useful? – the short answer is, these tablets are approved for inducing and maintaining erections in those with sexual impotence.
Internet pharmacies are particularly useful for buying this medication as the discretion they offer is often a sought after benefit of the service. For sensitive medical conditions, such as erectile dysfunction, many people prefer to buy ED tablets online as it removes the need of having to discuss your symptoms with a healthcare representative in person.
Moreover, online pharmacies are a practical and convenient way of acquiring information about the medical condition and the necessary treatment as well.