| Levitra
and Cialis Make Their Debut: Should You Make The Switch?
by
Stanley Ducharme, Ph.D.
Those
second generation sex pills were a long time in coming.
After several years of speculation, the impotence drugs
Levitra and Cialis finally made their debut in the second
half of 2003. Levitra received FDA approval in August 2003
and Cialis received its approval on November 21, 2003.With
three drugs now on the market for erectile dysfunction,
many men have wanted to try an alternative to Viagra.
Studies
had reported that Levitra and Cialis were supposed to act
a little faster, last a little longer and have fewer side
effects than Viagra. These new drugs were also reported
to be effective in some cases where Viagra had failed. Anticipation
has been high for many men who have been dissatisfied with
Viagra.
Viagra,
Levitra as well as Clialis, all work by blocking the PDE-5
enzyme and causing the smooth muscles of the penis to relax.
As a result, blood flow increases to the penis and an erection
is achieved. None of the drugs however affect libido. They
require the man to be sexually excited.
With
proper stimulation, studies have shown that all three of
the drugs are effective in helping at least 7 out of 10
men with erection problems. Unfortunately without some hormone
supplement such as testosterone, these drugs tend not to
be effective with women. For women, blood flow alone is
rarely the cause of sexual difficulties.
Many
people had predicted that the introduction of Levitra and
Cialis would herald what was likely to be one of the pharmaceutical
industries fiercest battles-taking on Viagra. Although Cialis
has only recently become available, Levitra has been on
the market since September of 2003. As a result, these two
drugs have been going head to head for several months.
Early
uses of the drugs seem to indicate that most doctors feel
that there isn’t that much difference between them.
Most men get good results from either Viagra or Levitra.
As a result, what seems to be happening is that men who
had been using Viagra are sticking with Viagra and doctors
are giving Levitra to many men who have not used an erection
drug in the past. Physicians often see these drugs as interchangeable.
Men
with more complicated medical histories may very well respond
favorably to Lavitra or Cialis. These drugs have been effective
in many cases where Viagra has failed. For example, the
new drugs are said to be more effective in men with diabetes
as well as those men who have had prostate surgery. In the
past, men with complex medical problems have been unable
to find a natural method of achieving erections.
The
desire and interest in Cialis may give Viagra its biggest
challenge. The pending arrival of this Lilly-ICOS drug has
caused much excitement and anticipation for some time in
the medical community. Now that it’s available, many
people doubt that Viagra can maintain its market share.
This is where the real battle will occur.
In
Europe, where the drug has been available for nearly a year,
Cialis is taking a huge chunk of the Viagra market. Since
the drug can last up to four times as long as the other
medications, Cialis claims to give couples back their spontaneity,
which has been lost with both Viagra and Levitra. With new
drugs however come new side effects and Cialis is said to
cause low back pain in some men. In addition, many of the
familiar side effects of Viagra occur with Cialis as well.
These include stuffy nose, headaches, blue vision, and facial
flushing.
What
does all this mean for men who are currently taking Viagra?
Is it worth switching? Most doctors would recommend staying
with Viagra if men have had good results in the past. The
big difference is that Levitra works a little faster and
can be taken on a full stomach. The advantage of Cialis
is its length of action. Ultimately each man, after medical
consultation, must make the decision whether the extra time
and added convenience is worth the chance of different side
effects and decreased effectiveness?
As
studies have shown, most men with erectile dysfunction (up
to 70%) have reacted favorably to Viagra. These men tend
to be non-smokers, have good circulation, be free of other
medical conditions and younger in age. Some men however
have reported that Viagra worked well for a short period
of time and then became less effective over time. Certainly,
any man who has been disappointed in his response to Viagra
should consider discussing the alternatives with his doctor.
To
my knowledge, no comparison studies have been published
at this time between Viagra and Levitra. This situation
will certainly change now that FDA approval has been obtained
and the prerequisite clinical trials have ended. As a result,
the choice of which drug to use may be based on preference
not scientific data. In making this choice, most men consider
the seriousness and duration of the side effects as well
as the quality of the erection achieved.
The
bottom line is that many men with erection problems are
doing their own personal comparisons. They care about results
and sexual performance in the bedroom-not about scientific
studies. For these men, curiosity is a big motivator, especially
if they have access to free samples.
Now
that Cialis is available in pharmacies, there is a good
chance we will see many more men considering a switch. Although
duration, spontaneity and side effects are all important,
the bottom line is that men want predictable, long lasting
quality erections. Most men are willing to endure side effects
from these drugs and see them as a necessary evil. Men want
the confidence that the erection will be there when needed.
Whatever medication meets that need will ultimately be his
drug of choice.
At
least, men now have alternatives and choice. Hopefully,
this healthy competition will also lower the price since
cost often makes these drugs unavailable to many men. To
date, all three of these medications tend to retail for
approximately ten dollars per pill.
During the past decade, we have witnessed the medicalization
of human sexuality. This new field of sexual medicine is
in its infancy and fantastic discoveries are being made
on a regular basis. In the future, look for pills to help
control ejaculation and other sexual functions. The female
pill also continues to be the focus of intense research
and development.
With
all this attention on new sex pills and hormone creams,
some people are wondering what ever happened to relationships
and love? Seems like we’ve gotten overly focused on
the mechanics of having sex. Aren’t we missing something
here? I think so!
Back
to Articles
|
