Sildenafil was the first effective oral medication for ED. In 2003 it was joined by vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis). Although there are some differences between these drugs (vardenafil starts working sooner and tadalafil works longer), they all act in exactly the same way to combat ED.
The three drugs are so similar because they share a common target, an enzyme called phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5). To understand why blocking PDE-5 improves sexual function, however, you have to know how erections develop.
Normal erections require a receptive state of mind, adequate levels of testosterone, and healthy arteries, veins, and nerves. But they also require a tiny chemical messenger called nitric oxide (NO). It serves two crucial functions: transmitting the impulses of arousal between nerves and relaxing the smooth muscle cells in the arteries, allowing them to widen and admit more blood to the penis.
Some benefits include:
Reduces progression of erectile dysfunction
Taking Sildenafil daily in a small dose is a way to reduce the intensity of progression of ED.
Improves ability to urinate
Daily use of Sildenafil improves people’s ability to urinate.
As men get older, they have a little bit more difficulty urinating because the prostate gets bigger. The prostate, like the penis, consists of a lot of smooth muscle in it, and relaxing the smooth muscle will lessen the grip of the prostate on the urethra. The higher grip is what causes difficulty in urinating.
Improves quality of life
Self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth in the male are highly related to sexual function. There are multiple reports on men taking PDE5 inhibitors and exhibiting better life quality from the perspective of confidence and satisfaction.
Endothelial friendly
PDE5 inhibitors are endothelial friendly medications. The endotheleum is the lining of the blood vessel. When it gets injured, this leads to the development of plaque or artherosclerosis.”
For this reason, one can argue that taking a PDE5 inhibitor daily has led to fewer strokes, fewer heart attacks, and better erections.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved a daily dose of another PDE5 inhibitor for ED and other uses, in January 2008.