ED (or erectile dysfunction) is a common condition that occurs in many men at some point in their lives, regardless of their age and demographics. This condition can be easily treated with proven, effective and safe erectile dysfunction treatments that are available on the market for decades.
However, there are many various ED treatments that are available, varying in features like the duration of the effect, the strength and the time it takes for the medication to start working.
Therefore, to help navigate among the many various options that are available, read the following Pharmica article.
How Do ED Medications Work?
ED can be caused by 2 key factors – either issues with blood flow that restrict the amount of blood flown into the intended destination or a premature release of PDE-5 enzymes that cause the erection to subside. These factors could occur due to both physiological reasons (like heart health issues, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, age etc) and psychological reasons (like stress, depression and anxiety).
ED treatments contain a key ingredient called PDE-5 inhibitor that assist with eliminating the premature release of PDE-5 enzymes from the equation, thus assisting with achieving and maintaining an erection. However, ED treatments vary in their strength and effect times.
Choosing the right treatment depends on the patient’s requirements and needs that are explained below:
1. The Type of Use
ED medications vary in their types of use, depending on the frequency and the timings.
Some of the medications are classed as on-demand medications that take little time to take effect and are taken before the intercourse. One of the best examples of such treatment would be Viagra – a well-known and proven medication that is intended to be taken before intercourse.
On the other hand, some ED treatments are used on daily basis, allowing the active elements to build up in our system and tackle erectile dysfunction when it may not be planned. An example of this treatment would be Cialis or Tadalafil. It is important to note that such on-demand treatments can take up to 5 days to build up in the system and have the intended effect.
2. The Strength
In addition to the type of use, it is important to consider the strength of the medication. ED treatments vary in the amount of the key active ingredients, ranging from 2.5 milligrams (for treatments that are taken daily) to 200 milligrams (for treatments taken on demand)
When selecting the strength, it is important to consider that taking the higher strength does not have too much difference compared to the smaller doses. Therefore, it is important to start with lower doses and then switch to higher strength medications if needed.
3. The Time until Effect
Furthermore, ED medications vary in the amount of time it takes to start working. For the on-demand treatments like Viagra or Sildenafil, it could take some time between 15 and 60 minutes to start having effects. In terms of treatments that are taken on a daily basis, these do not have action time as they are active all the time following continued use.
4. The Duration of the Effect
Ed treatments can have varying timings when it comes to how long the active ingredients remain in our systems. On-demand treatments can last for any time between 4 hours and 36 hours, depending on the type of the medication.
It is important to know that this feature refers to the duration that erection could take place rather than the duration of the actual erection.
5. Branded or Non-branded Product
ED treatments also come in branded and generic versions which have identical medical features but are available at a lower price point due to differences in patents.
Therefore, while the tablet and packaging design might differ, the treatments are equally safe and effective, approved by relevant regulating bodies such as MHRA.
