The two most popular drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction are Tadalafil and Cialis. Because both drugs are PDE5 inhibitors, their effects consist of pushing more blood towards the genitals, eventually creating a tight and durable erection. Still, these two drugs are somewhat different: tadalafil and Cialis.
Chemical Composition and Brand Names
The main difference between tadalafil and Cialis is the chemical formula and the names of the brands. Cialis contains the drug Tadalafil, and Cialis is the name of the drug made by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. Tadalafil also has generic brands, including Adcirca for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Dosage and Duration of Action
Tadalafil and Cialis work in the same manner, and come in identical strengths – 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. But, the initial dose for tadalafil is 10 mg, and Cialis is 5 mg. This is because tadalafil has a longer half-life than Cialis. Tadalafil has a half-life of 17.5 hours, which means that it stays in the body for longer, and Cialis has a half-life of 17.5 hours, which means that it stays in the body for shorter. This difference in the time it takes for this to occur means there is more latitude in when sex can be performed, with tadalafil being administered 36 hours before sex and Cialis 60 minutes before sex.
Indications and Uses
Tadalafil and Cialis are used for the majority of ED, but there are differences in the use of both medications. Tadalafil also works to cure male BPH symptoms, though Cialis is not approved for that purpose. BPH occurs when the prostate gland becomes too large to urinate normally. Tadalafil relaxes the muscles of the prostate and bladder and makes urination easier.
Side Effects
Tadalafil and Cialis both share similar adverse reactions such as headache, flushing of the face, stomach problems, and back pain.
Headaches:
Headache is one of the most common side effects of both Tadalafil and Cialis. In fact, estimates of headache prevalence in Tadalafil patients range from 11 to 15 per cent, while estimates of headache prevalence after Cialis administration fall in a slightly larger percentage range, between 10 and 16 per cent.
Headaches caused by such drugs are typically mild or moderate and usually start as soon as a few minutes to several hours after they are taken. The majority of headaches disappear without treatment. For the situations where symptoms need to be controlled, over-the-counter pain relief drugs like ibuprofen or acetaminophen might be recommended.
Facial Flushing:
Facial flushing is another common side-effect of Tadalafil and Cialis. It manifests as a short-lived, red face bruise. Facial flushing rates for Tadalafil range from 1 to 10 % and for Cialis are less, between 1 and 3 %.
Face flushing, generally very mild, typically subsides within a few hours of taking the medication. In the small number of individuals, the condition can be more severe and chronic. For some people, it is easier to mitigate this side effect by avoiding alcohol and spicy foods.
Upset Stomach:
While it’s rarer than headache and facial flushing, upset stomach is common in people who take Tadalafil and Cialis. Upset stomach was calculated to occur at a prevalence of 1 per cent to 4 per cent for Tadalafil, and about 1 per cent to 3 per cent for Cialis.
An upset stomach can manifest as anything from mild to a serious problem like nausea or vomiting. In the majority of these cases they’ll fix themselves and there’s no need, or necessity, for a doctor’s visit. But antacids and other over-the-counter medications can ease the constant unhappiness and bring more comfort to the patient.
Back Pain:
Back pain is Tadalafil’s specific side effect since it doesn’t come from Cialis. Tadalafil has a risk of back pain, ranging from 1-10%. The back pain on Tadalafil is generally mild to moderate and subsides within days. In some cases, however, the back pain can be severe and can last for days. Talk to a doctor if your back pain continues or becomes severe.
Yet, tadalafil also carries a higher risk of muscle pain and nasal congestion compared to Cialis. Such side effects are usually short and mild, and should subside with continued administration of the drug.
Cost and Availability
Beyond the realm of side effects, perhaps the biggest distinction between Tadalafil and Cialis lies in cost and availability, because the former is a generic version of the latter, and so tends to be cheaper, and thus easier to obtain for the general population.
Cialis, however, is likely to be patented, which makes it unavailable, and possibly expensive. Other than that, Cialis may not have the same insurance benefits as Tadalafil (which may have a number of brand name variations). Tadalafil may work for patients that don’t want to blow their bank account, and still manage to afford it.
Conclusion
In summary, even though tadalafil and Cialis contain the same active component and mechanism of action, some key differences should be noted by patients choosing their ED drug. The action of tadalafil takes longer — it’s prescribed for BPH, which can lead to more side effects — whereas Cialis takes less time and is approved only for ED. In addition, tadalafil is cheaper and comes in other brands. That is to say, the primary choice the patient will have between tadalafil and Cialis will be their needs and preferences so it is essential that they are advised by a medical professional about the right treatment option for ED.
