The drug Viagra has a long and meteoric rise in popularity since it’s development 30 years ago in the United Kingdom by scientist for the drug company Pfizer. Viagra is the brand name for sildenafil citrate and it is commonly used to help men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction. Viagra improves the erectile response by preventing cGMP from becoming degraded, so the blood flow and the erection can occur. Viagra was originally intended to treat hypertension, or high blood pressure and angina pectoris, a symptom a ischemic heart disease. During initial testing phases, they discovered that the drug did very little to prevent angina but it did induce marked penile erections. When Viagra hit the market back in 1998, it was the first drug approved to orally treat erectile dysfunction in the United States. By 2008, Viagra had already generated almost $1.93 billion worth of revenue for Pfizer.

Few drawbacks

Despite Viagra’s illicit reputation, the drug has been proven to have no effect on individuals without erectile dysfunction, although some may argue they have seen a significant placebo effect occur in clinical trials. The drug seems to have no effect on women. Viagra overdose can be very serious and cause side effects leading up to death. Some of the symptoms of overdose include vomiting, blurred vision, swelling in the optic nerve or papilledema, rapid heartbeat or tachycardia, rhabdomyolysis or a breakdown in muscles, blindness, and diarrhea. There is a fairly extensive list of medical conditions that exclude a patient from taking Viagra as well as medications that should not be taken along with the drug.

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These patients include those who have kidney disease, low blood pressure, liver impairment, or who have recently had a stroke or heart attack should not take the medication. This list also includes patients who have been advised to refrain from intercourse due to cardiovascular risk factors or who have hereditary degenerative retinal disorders should not take Viagra. People who have been diagnosed with HIV who take protease inhibitor are advised to take a lower dose of the drug. If the individual is taking alpha-blockers, their doctors will need to be concerned about dangerously low blood pressure and monitor their condition. Viagra can damage the optic nerve by decreasing the blood supply and can cause sudden vision loss. This is very rare and mainly occurs in people with heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, or pre-existing eye conditions. The studies were not able to verify if the vision loss was caused by the use of Viagra. Some of the more common side effects according to clinical trial results include headaches, nasal congestion, impaired vision, indigestion, and sensitivity to light. Some of the less common side effects include a painful, long-lasting erection, heart attack, ventricular arrhythmias, hearing loss, and increased intraocular pressure. Viagra’s labeling has included a warning of the risk of sudden hearing loss since 2007 in the United States.

The dosage for Generic Viagra varies depending on is the drug is taken for erectile dysfunction or for pulmonary arterial hypertension. When taken for erectile dysfunction, the drug comes in a blue, diamond-shaped pill. It is prescribed in doses of 25,50,or 100 mg. The individual is allowed to take a maximum of one pill a day, 30 minutes to 1 hour before intercourse. Viagra works by relaxing the muscles in the blood vessel walls in certain areas of the body. Viagra is sold under the name Revelation when taken for pulmonary arterial hypertension. It comes in a white, round tablet that is film-coated and is prescribed in 20mg doses to be taken three times a day. Some athletes have reported taking Revatio to increase their exercise capacity, but there is little scientific evidence to support this use. People are strongly warned against misusing Viagra as deaths may be rare, but are possible. Viagra seems to work well for most patients and has earned a reputation for changing people’s lives for the better. Viagra has several competitors on the market today. Cialis (tadalafil) and Levitra (vardenafil) are Viagra’s two main competitors.