Cialis and Levitra Can Have a Useful Side Effect

Men with erectile dysfunction (ED) are usually in their 50s or older, and are likely candidates for a type 5 phospho-diesterase inhibitor drug, such as Viagra® (sildenafil). The same population may well contain subjects with urinary tract symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). In June of this year German researchers, reporting in the journal European Urology , found that Levitra® (vardenafil) improved both lower urinary tract symptoms and ED, and benefited the patient’s quality of-of-life score. Another study, published online in August in the Journal of Urology, describes the successful treatment of men with BPH with Cialis® (tadalafil).

Levitra and Cialis were both effective in helping with urinary symptoms because their effect lasts longer (or at least the ED effect does). Viagra exerts its maximal effect between 1 and 4 hours after it’s taken, but some men respond within 20–30 minutes, and others retain its benefits for as long as 12 hours. Levitra acts faster, sometimes within 16 minutes, and it may last a bit longer than sildenafil. Cialis takes about 45 minutes to kick in, but its activity persists for up to 36 hours after a dose.

This is another example of an older drug proving helpful in a different disease process. Even if the 5-phosphodiesterase inhibitors aren’t ideal for treating BPH symptoms, the class may serve as a starting point for finding new molecules that will be more effective.