Viagra

Viagra is a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). Viagra’s main ingredient is sildenafil, which is a class of drug known as a PDE-5 inhibitor. Viagra was discovered when scientists were looking for a treatment to improve blood flow, and improved erections just happened to be a side-effect of their new medicine. Viagra works by temporarily enhancing the muscle relaxation effect and blood inflow in the penis caused by sexual stimulation.

Viagra treats erectile dysfunction (ED), which is a common problem in men. Erectile dysfunction can have physical or psychological causes. Most men fail to get an erection at some point in their lives, but if you regularly fail to get an erection, then you are likely to be diagnosed with impotence.

Possible physical causes include diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Psychological causes of ED can be stress, anxiety, depression and tiredness.

There are numerous websites you can buy Viagra from. However, many of them are neither licensed nor legitimate, which means taking the medication they supply could harm you. Before buying any medication online, you should always check whether the web service you are using has been approved by the Irish Medical Council. You should also bear in mind that Viagra is prescription-only medication. Any website selling it without the involvement of a doctor is fraudulent.

Beware of websites which claim that Viagra increases penis size or has other miracle properties. If a website advertises medication with false claims, it is highly likely to be illegitimate.

Viagra is manufactured by Pfizer. The Viagra patent expired on 21st June 2013, so more affordable generic versions of Viagra are now available to buy.

Viagra takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour to work, although in some people it may start to work more quickly than that. Erections can last for up to 4 hours, but if they last longer than that, you should consult your doctor immediately.

No. Viagra affects blood flow so altering this too much by overdosing can result in serious and even lethal blood pressure related problems, such as stroke and heart attack. If the treatment is not working, a doctor must be consulted in order to increase the prescribed dosage or to try another treatment.

Viagra can be taken by young and old men alike. Initial research on Viagra looked at side effects in men between the ages of 19-87 years. Erectile dysfunction is more likely to have an underlying psychological cause in young men, whereas in older men it is more likely to have a physical cause.

Bear in mind that some people put themselves under a lot of pressure and expectation the first time they take Viagra, and this can affect how successful Viagra is for them. Be prepared for 2 or 3 attempts at your initial dosage before you move to a higher dose.

Viagra may take longer to work if you have just eaten, so if you want to get an erection quickly, take it on an empty stomach.

Manufacturers do not recommend drinking alcohol while on Viagra medication. Alcohol is a ‘blood thinner’, and so will worsen any Viagra side effects as well as reduce the ability to achieve and maintain an erect penis. Alcohol consumption should be avoided, especially if a patient is taking Viagra and has kidney, liver or heart disorders.

Yes. Viagra is a prescription medicine. However, you can obtain a prescription for Viagra online from ZAVA without having to see a doctor face to face.

You should avoid eating fatty food at the same time as taking Viagra as it may delay absorption of the drug. As a result, Viagra could take longer to work. If you are feeling hungry, just wait about an hour after taking the medicine and you can eat again without affecting the effectiveness of the drug.

There are certain foods to avoid when taking Viagra. Drinking grapefruit juice or eating grapefruit when taking Viagra can be dangerous, as it increases the concentration of Viagra in your blood and may increase the side-effects.

You can consume alcohol and take Viagra, although you should bear in mind that alcohol consumption affects your sexual performance.

Viagra is available in 25mg, 50mg and100mg doses.

25mg is a suitable starting dose for younger men with erectile dysfunction and older men (the over 70’s). This is because young men do not require high doses of Viagra as their ED is often psychological. Viagra helps increase their confidence so they can relax and stop worrying. 25mg is recommended for older men as it reduces the risk of possible side effects

50mg is the standard dosage that ZAVA recommends for most men. If you have not taken Viagra before, you should start on this dosage.

100mg is usually prescribed if you have tried the 50mg tablets and did not get the desired results.

If you buy 50mg Viagra tablets and they do not work, then it is perfectly fine to take 2 x 50mg tablets the following day to see if an increased dosage will work. You should not take Viagra more than once a day and you should never take more than 100mg at one time.

If you or someone you know has taken an overdose of Viagra, consult your doctor or go to your nearest emergency department immediately. You will need to take the box of Viagra with you, even if it is empty, to help the doctors know what you have taken.

In rare cases, some people suffer from uncontrolled erections that last more than four hours (priapism). If this happens, you should go to the hospital immediately and seek treatment, as this can cause permanent damage to your penis.

The active ingredient in Viagra is Sildenafil.

Viagra tablets are blue, with a rounded diamond shape. They say ‘Pfizer’ on one side and either ‘VGR25’, ‘VGR50’ or ‘VGR100’ on the other side.

There are a range of common side effects that some people may experience when taking Viagra. Most common side effects occur because blood circulation increases, which fills all parts of the body with blood, not just the penis. For more detail, please see our article on Viagra side effects.

Viagra side effects include:

• Headaches
• Redness/Flushing
• Indigestion
• Vision problems
• Stuffy nose
• Dizziness

For a full range of side effects, please read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medicine.

Viagra must not be taken:

• by women or adolescents under 18
• if you have an allergy to the main ingredient Sildenafil (rash, itching, swollen face, eyelids, lips or throat, or shortness of breath)
• if you have had a recent stroke or heart attack (myocardial infarction)
• if you have or have had low blood pressure (hypotension)
• if you are taking medication for high blood pressure (hypertension)
• if you have severe heart problems
• if you have severe liver (hepatic) problems
• if you have a severe kidney (renal) problem or are having kidney dialysis.
• if you have a family history of inherited eye degeneration (retinitis pigmentosa)
• if you have ever had loss of vision due to damage of the optic nerve due to insufficient blood supply (non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION))
• in combination with other treatments for ED
• in combination with nitrates (glycerol trinitrate for angina relief)
• in combination with nitric oxide donors (“poppers”)

Tell your GP if you:

• have sickle cell anaemia
• have myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow)
• have leukaemia (cancer of the blood cells)
• have haemophilia
• are using alpha-blockers for high blood pressure
• are using protease inhibitors for HIV treatment (Ritonavir or Indinavir)
• are using Ketoconazole or Itraconazole (anti-fungal medicines)
• are using medicines for treatment of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) such as Quinidine, Procainamide, Amiodarone or Sotalol
• are using Erythromycin, Clarithromycin or Macrolide antibiotics
• have a penis deformity or Peyronie’s disease
• have stomach ulcers (gastric or peptic ulcers)
• have heart, kidney or liver problems

Seek medical assistance immediately if:

• your erection lasts for more than 4 hours
• you experience a sudden decrease or loss of vision
• you experience chest pains during or after intercourse (do not use nitrates to treat this)

Viagra can cause dizziness and affect vision. Individuals should be aware of their reactions to Viagra before driving or operating machinery.

If you would like to use ZAVA's services but do not live in Ireland, please be aware that we also operate in:

• UK - Viagra
• Germany - Viagra
• France - Viagra

If you have a question about this service, please email info@zavamed.com with the question, and one of our doctors will get back to you within 24 hours.