Tadalafil
Tadalafil, sold under the brand name Cialis among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is a tablet taken by mouth. Onset is typically within half an hour and the duration is up to 36 hours.[1] Tadalafil was approved for medical use in the United States in 2003. It is available as a generic medication in the United States and the United Kingdom. In 2017, it was the 282nd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than one million prescriptions.[2]
Medical Uses[edit]
Tadalafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Tadalafil once-daily is FDA-approved for ED, and for sale in 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg strengths. The price of the 5 mg and 2.5 mg are often similar, so some people score and split the pill.[3]
Adverse Effects[edit]
The most common potential side effects when using tadalafil are headache, stomach discomfort or pain, indigestion, burping, acid reflux, back pain, muscle aches, flushing, and stuffy and runny nose. These side effects reflect the ability of PDE5 inhibition to cause vasodilation, and usually resolve after a few hours.[4] Back pain and muscle aches can occur 12 to 24 hours after taking the drug, and these symptoms usually resolve within 48 hours of onset.
Mechanism[edit]
Penile erection during sexual stimulation is caused by increased penile blood flow resulting from the relaxation of penile arteries and the smooth muscle of the corpus cavernosum. This response is mediated by the release of nitric oxide (NO) from nerve terminals and endothelial cells, which stimulates the synthesis of cyclic guanosine monophosphate in smooth muscle cells. cGMP relaxes smooth muscle and increases blood flow to the corpus cavernosum.[5]
Marketing[edit]
In the United States, the FDA relaxed rules on prescription drug marketing in 1997, allowing advertisements targeted directly to consumers. Cialis ads were unique among the ED drugs in mentioning specifics of the drug. As a result, Cialis ads were also the first to describe the side effects in an advertisement, as the FDA requires advertisements with specifics to mention side effects.[6] One of the first Cialis ads aired at the 2004 Super Bowl.
References[edit]
- ↑ Cialis tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics
- ↑ DailyMed - CIALIS - tadalafil tablet, film coated
- ↑ Cialis | European Medicines Agency
- ↑ Tadalafil Monograph for Professionals - Drugs.com
- ↑ Cialis 10 mg ohne Rezept kaufen - Potenzmittel rezeptfrei
- ↑ Tadalafil - Drug Usage Statistics, ClinCalc DrugStats Database
