What is Viagra?

Viagra is a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in men.

It works by helping to relax the blood vessels in the penis, allowing blood to flow into the penis causing an erection. If you plan to use Viagra, you should take it an hour before planned sexual activity.

An erection is possible for up to 4 hours after taking it (this means the ability to have an erection may last this long, but the actual erections will only last a normal period of time).

It doesn’t cause erections on its own — sexual stimulation is still needed. Viagra does not cure ED, increase a man’s sexual desire, protect from sexually transmitted diseases or serve as a male form of birth control.

If you use Viagra, you should not take any more than one tablet in 24 hours and it should not be taken with other ED medicines.

Does Viagra have side effects?

The most common side effects with Viagra include:

• headache
• flushed skin
• indigestion
• abnormal vision
• stuffy or runny nose
• back pain
• muscle pain
• nausea
• dizziness

If you are thinking about using Viagra, please discuss it with your doctor.

Very occasionally, Viagra can cause a painful erection or an erection that won’t go away. If this happens, and the erection lasts for more than 4 hours, you should go to the nearest emergency department. Prolonged erections can be dangerous.

Viagra may not be safe to take for men with certain medical conditions, including men who have had a stroke, have heart disease or retinitis pigmentosa (an eye disease).

It can also interact with many medicines, particularly nitrates (used in heart disease) and blood pressure medicines. Men who use nitrates in any form or are being treated for pulmonary hypertension should not take Viagra.

Buying Viagra

There are many ways to buy Viagra online, often without a prescription. However, you cannot be certain whether these pills contain the drug or are counterfeit. It’s important to buy ED medications from a store-based pharmacy or reputable online pharmacy that requires a prescription.

See healthdirect’s medicines section for more information about Viagra.