What is Vardenafil and How Does It Work?

Vardenafil is an erectile dysfunction treatment known as a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor, which works by increasing blood flow to the penis, helping to achieve and maintain an erection.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common sex-related condition in men and occurs primarily where there is a disruption of the blood flow to the tissues in the penis - known also as vascular ED. Other less common causes are neurological and hormonal. Vardenafil and other PDE-5 inhibitors work only for vascular ED, helping to restore normal blood flow, resulting in an erection.

Importantly, for the treatments to work, there must be sexual stimulation.

It is also available as the branded form Levitra, which works in the same way as generic vardenafil.

Vardenafil Dosage Guide: 5mg, 10mg, or 20mg?

The standard dose for the treatment of ED is vardenafil 10mg once daily, taken approximately 25 to 60minutes before anticipated sexual activity. The tablets can be taken with or without food though their onset of activity may be delayed slightly if taken with a high fat meal.

Vardenafil should not be taken any more frequently than once daily.

The dose may also be reduced for some patients. Vardenafil 5mg may be more appropriate for those who are sensitive to side effects, have liver or severe kidney disease or are taking interacting medicines.

The higher dose of vardenafil, 20mg is appropriate when 10mg isn’t sufficient at helping to achieve an erection strong enough for penetration.

Vardenafil vs. Sildenafil (Viagra) vs. Tadalafil

Choose Vardenafil if you want reliable performance for a single evening without the strict dietary rules of Viagra

Other commonly prescribed ED treatments include sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis). These all work through the same PDE-5 mechanism but to varying degrees.

Comparing vardenafil vs sildenafil, both start to work within a similar time frame though some patients have reported vardenafil may work slightly faster for them. Both are effective for up to 6-8 hours and, whilst vardenafil may last a bit longer, neither supports next-day spontaneity.

The main difference between the two is the effect of meals. When taken with a high fat meal, the absorption of sildenafil can be significantly delayed, reducing its effectiveness. The same applies to vardenafil but to a much lesser extent, making it the preferred option for those not wanting to plan dosing around meals.

When comparing vardenafil vs tadalafil, this drug differs mainly due to its much longer duration of action. A single tadalafil dose starts to work within 30-60 minutes but can last up to 36 hours. If being spontaneous is your goal, tadalafil is the optimum choice. Those with more predictable routines may lean towards vardenafil, offering a balance of efficacy against ease of not having to take with strict dietary restrictions.

Vardenafil can bind stronger to PDE-5 receptors compared to sildenafil, making it more effective. Thus, lower doses are required, offering an advantage over sildenafil.

How to Take Vardenafil for Best Results

When taken appropriately, vardenafil serves as a viable option for helping treat symptoms of ED. For optimum results, one tablet should be taken approximately 25-60 minutes before anticipated sexual activity.

Most patients will start on a dose of 10mg once daily which can be increased to 20mg or reduced to 5mg as required. Importantly, vardenafil must not be taken more than once daily and not alongside other ED medicines.

Importantly, vardenafil does not cause an automatic erection and sexual stimulation is required - as with all ED treatments. Some patients may find it starts working as early as 15 minutes with peak concentrations in the blood reached between 30-120 minutes.

Taking vardenafil with a high fat meal can mean it takes longer to work, but will still work to its maximum potential, as opposed to drugs like sildenafil which are significantly affected by the presence of a meal.

When taken with small to moderate amounts of alcohol, vardenafil can still work effectively. Excess alcohol however can affect the treatment whilst increasing the risk of some side effects. Both alcohol and the treatment cause vasodilation (open blood vessels), leading to side effects such as dizziness, headache, low blood pressure and fainting.

Other common interactions with vardenafil are with grapefruit and importantly with a group of heart medications called nitrates. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can directly interact with and lead to higher levels of vardenafil in the blood. This can increase the body’s exposure to the drug, leading to increased side effects.

Nitrates are a group of medicines taken for heart conditions such as angina. Examples are glyceryl trinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, nicorandil and the recreational drug known as ‘poppers.’ When these are taken with vardenafil, it can lead to a dangerous drop in blood pressure (severe hypotension), heart attack and even death.

Vardenafil Price & Buying Options in the UK

As a prescription only product, vardenafil must be prescribed specifically for your use by a registered prescriber. At Quick Meds, as a GPhC registered online pharmacy, we can help with your treatment needs. To buy vardenafil online, simply fill out an online consultation and request the treatment.

This consultation asks for some information concerning your symptoms, your overall health, medical history and if you currently take other medication. All this information is used to determine suitability to ensure any treatment approved is safe and effective for you. Unlike sildenafil and tadalafil, vardenafil currently does not have an over the counter version available.

Note well, any website offering to sell vardenafil without a prescription is acting outside of UK regulations and is unlicensed. These sites may not be offering genuine medication, instead containing fake medicines, incorrect dosages or even harmful contaminants. Exercise due diligence and do not let an eye catching vardenafil price overshadow the lack of regulations.

The final vardenafil price is still under review but is expected to be significantly cheaper than the branded Levitra, as is the case with sildenafil, tadalafil and their branded forms Viagra and Cialis respectively.

The higher doses are expected to be more expensive, with the vardenafil 20mg price expected to be the highest of the lot. As will all ED medicines, as long as they are used within the guidelines, and importantly, alongside sexual stimulation, you may find you do not need to use the maximum dose, which helps to keep the treatment affordable.

Common Side Effects and Safety

As with all medicines, vardenafil can cause side effects though not everyone experiences them. The most common is a headache, which 1 in 10 users may experience. Other common side effects include dizziness, facial flushing, nasal congestion or indigestion. These are generally mild to moderate in nature and resolve on their own as the body adjusts to vardenafil.

Uncommon vardenafil side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, shortness of breath and a fast heart rate.

Some patients experience vision changes such as blurred vision, photophobia or colour changes. These are again mild and resolve on their own. Other more serious eye conditions are NAION or non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy. This can cause sudden loss of vision in one eye and though rare, if it occurs, patients should stop using vardenafil and seek immediate medical attention.

Other serious side effects include:

• Priapism (prolonged, painful erections) which can last over 4 hours

• Allergic reactions which cause swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat and difficulty breathing

If these occur, patients are advised to stop treatment and seek immediate medical attention.

Cardiovascular events such as heart attack, irregular heartbeat or stroke are rare but more likely in patients with pre-existing heart disease. For this reason, vardenafil must be used in caution in these patients and should NOT be used in patients taking nitrates.

Before prescribing treatment, prescribers would carefully assess the following patients:

1. Those with cardiovascular conditions.

2. Those taking other medicines - particularly nitrates, alpha blockers or drugs that lower blood pressure

3. Elderly patients - who are more likely to experience certain side effects

4. Those driving or operating machines - as dizziness/abnormal vision can affect these tasks