Erectile dysfunction is one of the most common sexual dysfunction in the whole world, and men have been suffering from this condition since ancient times. It makes a man’s sexual life difficult by making him incapable of having erections or by weakening his erections.
But thankfully most of the cases of erectile dysfunction can be treated based on the cause of the condition. There are multiple causes of this condition that can be physical as well as psychological and the treatment also differs based on the cause of the condition.
But usually, doctors prescribe Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) Inhibiting drugs such as Sildenafil, Avanafil, Vardenafil, and Tadalafil for the first-line treatment of erectile dysfunction in men.
Sildenafil was the first PDE5 inhibiting drug to be discovered and approved by the FDA for the treatment of this condition under the brand name Viagra. Many PDE5 inhibiting drugs followed after that, such as Tadalafil, Vardenafil, and Avanafil.
How do the PDE5 inhibiting drugs treat erectile dysfunction in men?
Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction usually have a low supply of blood flowing towards the penis when he is sexually stimulated.
When men are sexually stimulated, the brain sends signals to the penile region to begin the production of nitric oxide which is needed for the expansion of the blood vessels lining the penile region.
But men who suffer from erectile dysfunction have the PDE5 enzyme in their body which hinders this much-needed production of nitric oxide resulting in poor blood supply towards the penis.
But if the man takes a prescribed dosage of any PDE5 inhibiting drug, it will act against the PDE5 enzyme and support the production of nitric oxide. Thus we can say that the PDE5 inhibiting drugs indirectly supports the production of nitric oxide. Thus the blood vessels are expanded just as they should be, an erection occurs successfully.
Each and every PDE5 inhibiting drug works the same way in treating erectile dysfunction in men, and all of them offer only temporary effects.
The medication will only work till the drug is active in the body of the person who has taken this drug, different PDE5 drugs offer different duration of effects, Sildenafil works for 4 hours, Avanafil and Vardenafil works for about 5-6 hours while Tadalafil works for 36 hours.
What are the Generic medications prescribed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men?
There are two types of medications that are prescribed and used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, one of them are the brand name versions and the other is generic versions of the same drug.
The generic drugs contain the same active ingredient as the brand name medication, but the production cost of generic drugs is much cheaper so they are available at a lower price range. But as they share the same active ingredient, their effects are the same, for instance, Viagra (Brand name Sildenafil) and Cenforce (Generic Sildenafil) both are equally effective in treating erectile dysfunction, their active duration is 4 hours and their side-effects are also the same.
Generic drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction are becoming more and more popular due to its low-cost price range.
Let’s go through the Pros and Cons of using Generic Medications for the treatment of erectile dysfunction?
The benefits of Using Generic brands of medications for the treatment of erectile dysfunction:
Cost-effective Purchase:
The price is one of the most important factors that we keep in mind when we buy something. So it makes much more sense to buy generic medications that are as effective as the branded one but comes at a lower price range. Also, certain countries do not cover medications for erectile dysfunction under insurance, so in such a scenario, generic medications are more cost-effective if you have an active sex life.
More options to choose from:
There are possibly one or two brand-name medications of each PDE5 inhibiting drug, but there are many different generic brands of each PDE5 inhibiting drugs with different price ranges which you can choose from as per your financial budget.
Generic medications come in different forms, such as chewable pills, oral tablets, sublingual tablets, and even edible flavoured gels such as Kamagra Oral Jelly medication, which is sildenafil citrate jelly. So if you find one form of medication inconvenient, you can choose another one.
The disadvantages of Using Generic brands of medications for the treatment of erectile dysfunction:
Lack of trust and Confusion:
Some people may not trust generic medication even though they are approved by the FDA and contain the same active ingredients as the brand name version of the medication. So it is maybe difficult to make a switch without having initial reservations about its effects and safety.
But as more and more people are making their way towards generic drugs, this lack of trust and confusion regarding generic PDE5 inhibiting drugs is vanishing gradually.
Availability of the medications can be an issue:
Generic brands of erectile dysfunction are sold across the whole world, but yet for some people it may be difficult to have access to them if their doctors prescribe them the brand named medications only.
Many people have no idea that they can ask their doctor to prescribe generic brands of erectile dysfunction medication or suggest a generic substitute for the brand name one. Your pharmacist may also be able to help you with this matter.
It may be likely that your local pharmacy may not have generic brands of a particular drug and you may have to go to a bigger city to buy one. So the lack of easy accessibility of the generic brands can be a disadvantage if you want to try generic medications for the treatment of your erectile dysfunction.
The rise of e-commerce has improved the accessibility of the generic medications for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and now many people order medications online. Online purchase of medications allows you to compare prices and avail the best offers, and convenient and discreet delivery options have made online purchases a huge hit among many men.