Sildenafil for erectile dysfunction
Aronix, Viagra
Peer reviewed by Sid DajaniLast updated by Michael Stewart, MRPharmSLast updated 18 Jan 2024
Meets Patient’s editorial guidelines
- DownloadDownload
- Share
Sildenafil is for the treatment of adult men with erectile dysfunction.
Take a tablet about an hour before you plan to have sex. Do NOT take more than one dose in 24 hours.
When you collect your prescriptions, check the brand and strength of the tablets. If the appearance is not the same as usual, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.
In this article:
Continue reading below
About sildenafil for erectile dysfunction
Type of medicine | Phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor |
Used for | Erectile dysfunction in adult men |
Also called | Aronix®; Liberize®; Viagra®; Vizarsin®; Zamantos®; |
Available as | Tablets |
Erectile dysfunction (sometimes called impotence) means that you cannot get or maintain a proper erection. There are several causes, the most common being due to a narrowing of the arteries that take blood to the penis.
Sildenafil works by preventing the action of a chemical in your body, called phosphodiesterase type-5. This helps to widen (relax) blood vessels and improves the flow of blood to the penis following sexual stimulation. This helps to maintain an erection.
Sildenafil is available on prescription. Non-branded (generic) tablets of sildenafil are available on the NHS, but the brand Viagra® can only be prescribed on the NHS for men with erectile dysfunction resulting from certain medical conditions.
Sildenafil can also be bought over the counter from pharmacies in certain circumstances. Ask your pharmacist for advice on whether this option is suitable for you.
Another brand of sildenafil tablets called Revatio® is used in a completely different condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension - please see the separate medicine leaflet called Sildenafil for pulmonary hypertension if you have been prescribed this brand of sildenafil tablets.
Before taking sildenafil
Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking sildenafil it is important that your doctor knows:
If you have any disease, injury or deformity of your penis.
If you have a heart condition, or blood vessel disease.
If you have had an eye condition causing loss of vision.
If you have low blood pressure or angina.
If you have any problems with the way your liver works or with the way your kidneys work.
If you have had a stroke or a heart attack.
If you have a condition which causes bleeding, such as a stomach ulcer.
If you have sickle cell disease.
If you have ever had bone marrow cancer or leukaemia.
If you are taking or using any other medicines. This includes any medicines you are taking which are available to buy without a prescription, as well as herbal and complementary medicines, and recreational drugs.
If you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine.
Continue reading below
How to take sildenafil for erectile dysfunction
Before you take sildenafil, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about the tablets and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking them.
Take sildenafil exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is intended to be taken before sexual activity - it is NOT for continuous daily use. You should take one tablet about an hour before you plan to have sex, although it may still be effective up to five hours after taking the tablet. You can take the tablet either before or after food but, if you have just eaten a large meal, it may take longer for it to work.
There are three strengths of sildenafil tablets: 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg. It is likely that you will be given the 50 mg strength tablet to begin with, but this may be changed subsequently depending upon how you react. Each time you collect a prescription, check to make sure it contains the strength of tablet you are expecting.
Do not take more than one dose of sildenafil in any 24-hour period.
Getting the most from your treatment
You and your partner will still need to engage in foreplay, just as you would if you were not taking a medicine for erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil will not cause an erection unless you are sexually aroused.
Do not drink large amounts of alcohol before you plan to take sildenafil. Drinking too much alcohol can reduce your ability to get an erection and this may prevent you from getting the maximum benefit from the tablets.
It is recommended that you do not drink grapefruit juice with sildenafil. This is because there is a chemical in grapefruit juice which can increase the amount of sildenafil in your bloodstream and this makes side-effects more likely.
Keep your regular appointments with your doctor so your progress can be monitored. If you feel the tablets are too strong for you, discuss this with your doctor as your dose may need to be reduced. Alternatively, if you do not get an erection after taking sildenafil, or if it does not last long enough for you to have sex, you should discuss this with your doctor - do not take more tablets than you have been told to.
You should not take sildenafil if you are using any other products or taking any other medicines to treat erectile dysfunction.
Continue reading below
Can sildenafil cause problems?
Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with sildenafil. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.
Very common sildenafil side-effects (these affect more than 1 in 10 men) | What can I do if I experience this? |
Headache | Drink plenty of water. If the headaches continue, let your doctor know |
Common sildenafil side-effects (these affect fewer than 1 in 10 men) | What can I do if I experience this? |
Flushing, feeling sick, indigestion, blocked nose | These should soon pass |
Feeling dizzy, visual changes such as blurred vision or colour distortion | If either of these happen, do not drive and do not use tools or machines until your reactions/vision have returned to normal |
Important: if your erection lasts for longer than four hours, or if you get chest pains or a sudden loss of vision, contact a doctor for medical attention straightaway.
If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the tablets, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.
How to store sildenafil
Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.
Important information about all medicines
Important information about all medicines
If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take with your other medicines.
Never take more than the prescribed dose. If you suspect that you or someone else might have taken an overdose of this medicine, go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital. Take the container with you, even if it is empty.
If you are having an operation or dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking.
This medicine is for you. Never give it to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.
Do not keep out-of-date or unwanted medicines. Take them to your local pharmacy which will dispose of them for you.
If you have any questions about this medicine ask your pharmacist.
MHRA - Reporting adverse reactions
Report suspected side effects to medicines, vaccines, e-cigarettes, medical device incidents, defective or falsified (fake) products to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to ensure safe and effective use.
Further reading and references
- Manufacturer's PIL, Viagra® 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg tablets; Upjohn UK Ltd, The electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated December 2023.
- Medicines Complete BNF 87th Edition; British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London.
Article history
The information on this page is written and peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.
Next review due: 17 Jan 2027
18 Jan 2024 | Latest version
![symptom checker](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fxxv4b9mbhlgd%2F1Dz6L58ffaUwLTR9rak3zv%2F36beafd6fb6750c8ff21fe2a4fc4d86a%2FMobile.png&w=1600&q=75)
Feeling unwell?
Assess your symptoms online for free