Revatio Vs Viagra: What Is The Difference? – Introduction
Two of the most well-known erectile dysfunction medications are Revatio and Viagra, which share their active substance sildenafil. While they are each prescribed for distinct medical indications, in this paper both drugs are employed compared to each other in terms of their meaning, dose, side effects, and price.
Indications:
Revatio and Viagra both contain sildenafil citrate, a substance that relaxes muscles in blood vessels and increases blood flow. But the two drugs are on separate Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval lists.
The FDA has approved Viagra for men with ED. ED occurs when a man cannot produce or sustain an erection strong enough for sexual intercourse. Viagra increases blood supply to the penis, which in turn creates and maintains an erection.
The FDA, however, has designated Revatio for the treatment of PAH. PAH is a rare lung condition that narrows blood vessels in the lungs, making it difficult for the heart to bring blood to the lungs. Revatio relaxes the pulmonary blood vessels, which reduces the workload of the heart and improves PAH symptoms.
Dosages
One of the major differences between Revatio and Viagra is the prescription doses. Viagra comes as a tablet, and is usually consumed orally in doses ranging from 25 mg to 100 mg, depending on patient response and tolerance. In most cases, the medication is needed 30 minutes to 1 hour before sexual activity and its effects last up to 4 hours.
Conversely, Revatio is available as a tablet and in oral suspension form. For PAH, the daily dose is 20 mg administered at approximately 4-6 hour intervals. Remember that PAH and ED dosing are not the same, and patients should only receive the dose that their healthcare provider has ordered.
Side Effects:
As both medications contain the same active ingredient, Revatio and Viagra cause similar side effects, although of varying degrees of severity. Some of the most common side-effects of sildenafil citrate, for both Revatio and Viagra, are listed below (National Library of Medicine, 2021):
Headache: Headache is the most common adverse reaction for sildenafil citrate patients and can occur in up to 16% of patients. These headaches are usually mild-moderate, short-lived, and will pass spontaneously after several hours.
Flushing: Moderate intermittent facial flushing (a warm red coloration of the face, neck, and chest) occurs in 10% of users. Like headache, flushing is usually self-limiting and passes often hours after a medication has been taken.
Dyspepsia : This can occur in up to 7% of the patients taking sildenafil citrate. The typical symptoms include pain in the upper abdomen or the belly. Other accompanied symptoms include nausea, bloating, or vomit.
Visual Reactions: As much as 2% of customers will experience a visual effect. This may manifest as a distortion of vision in color, some form of blindness, or even a blindness to light. The vast majority of the typical side effects that can exist are minor and evanescent, so there is very little to fear.
Nasal Congestion: This can also manifest as a runny nose in up to 4% of the patients. This, like all of the other effects outlined above, is only mild and will in most instances be self-limiting.
Up to 3% of users report dizziness, especially among people taking antihypertensive medications or with cardiovascular disease.
Less Common but Serious Side Effects
Although the side effects mentioned above are not uncommon and tend to be of minor concern, rarer adverse effects are serious. The following are among them:
Priapism: Priapism, a disease of an erection that lasts longer than four hours, is a disease of a erection that lasts longer than four hours. It is an acute medical emergency, and should be treated immediately in order to stave off permanent complications.
Rapid Hearing Loss: Some people do not hear well at all when they are on this drug. You might experience other symptoms such as ringing in the ears. This is a side-effect that requires immediate medical intervention.
Blindness: Another potential side effect when taking sildenafil citrate is sudden blurred vision which is very uncommon. This side effect could signal severe illness, and warrant medical attention at the earliest.
Cost:
Revatio and Viagra costs can vary with dosage, the amount of it prescribed and the pharmacy from which it comes. But, on average, Revatio costs less than Viagra.
Revatio comes in 20 mg tablets and the 30-tablet supply can cost $600 to $900 a piece, depending on your pharmacy. Viagra, however, is sold in 25mg, 50mg and 100mg tablets, and a 30-tablet supply typically costs $700 to $1,000, depending on the pharmacy and the dose.
Remember that insurance and manufacturer rebates may reduce the price of these drugs. Some insurance companies might pay for Revatio or Viagra, and some might not. Furthermore, Viagra manufacturer Pfizer and Revatio’s maker, Greenstone (which Pfizer owns), have patient assistance programs that may lower the cost of the drugs for those patients who qualify.
Conclusion: Revatio Vs Viagra: What Is The Difference?
In short, the drugs Revatio and Viagra contain the same active component but have differing indications, doses, side-effects, and prices. Revatio is primarily used to treat PAH, whereas Viagra is used for ED. Note that they should only be taken on the advice of a professional doctor. Also, those medications should never be dispensed without mentioning to your doctor. In fact, failure to do so will result in a cross-reaction between the drug and some other medication the patient may be taking.
