Cialis® – The "weekend pill"

Cialis (Tadalafil®) is another drug used to treat male erectile dysfunction. In the United States, Tadalafil has FDA approval and became available in December, 2003 as the third pill after Viagra® and Levitra®. This pill is famous due to its 36-hour effect. That’s why it is also known as the "Weekend Pill". 

Chemically it is almost identical to Levitra® because it also belongs to the group of medications called selective inhibitors of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5).

Drug interactions

Organic nitrates
Because it is proven that PDE5 inhibitors such as Tadalafil may cause low blood pressure, it is recommended that organic nitrates should not be taken for at least 48 hours after taking the last dose of Tadalafil®. It is proven that using organic nitrates within this time frame may increase the risk of life-threatening hypotension.

Possible side effects of Cialis®

Research has shown that several side effects can occur from using Cialis®. Some of the most common are:

• an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);     
• chest pain or irregular heartbeats;      
• dizziness, nausea, or angina (pain, tightness, discomfort, numbness, or tingling in the chest, arms, neck, or jaw);      
• swelling of the ankles or legs;   
• shortness of breath;       
• prolonged or severe dizziness; or       
• a prolonged (lasting longer than 4 hours) or painful erection

Other, less serious side effects which are more likely to occur are: 

• headache;   
• indigestion; 
• back pain;   
• muscle aches;      
• flushing;      
• stuffy or runny nose; or  
• temporary blue tint in vision or difficulty telling the difference between the colors blue and green.