Penegra

Sildenafil citrate, which is the generic form of Penegra is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Penegra is a reliable, well-tolerated treatment with a favorable safety profile.

In the article, we will cover everything you need to know before taking Penegra, including how it works, what is the dose, when to not take the medicine, and what are its side effects.

What is Penegra?

Penegra, also known as the blue pill, is a prescription medicine for erectile dysfunction. It is manufactured by Pfizer.

It causes relaxation of vascular smooth muscle in the penis leading to engorgement of blood in the sinusoids of corpora cavernosa, which is required for an erection.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is associated with depression, anxiety, and loss of self-esteem. Using Penegra for ED helps to avoid these problems and can significantly improve the patient’s quality of life. [1]

What’s the Dose of Penegra?

Penegra is available as oral tablets in the following dosage forms:

• 25 mg 
• 50 mg 
• 100 mg

Initial dose is of Penegra is 50 mg, taken as needed, approximately 1 hour before sexual activity. The dose can be titrated upward to a maximum of 100 mg or down to 25 mg based on individual effectiveness and tolerance. [2]

The maximum dose of Penegra is one pill per day.

How Long Does it Take for Penegra to Kick In?

It takes about 30 to 60 minutes to start its effects.

The effects of Penegra will start to kick in about 30 – 60 minutes after you take it. In a few cases, it may take longer. So, it is important to remain patient before you try to increase the dose yourself.

How Long Does Penegra Last?

The effect of Penegra usually lasts for 4 hours but could also last up to 18 hours.

It is common for users to sport an erection up to 24 hours after taking the pill.[2]

How Much Does Penegra Cost?

The original sildenafil, made by Pfizer, costs around $70 per tablet. Whereas, Penegra costs between $6 and $35 per pill.

The History of Penegra

Sildenafil as the treatment for ED was discovered by accident. Reachers at Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer studied the drug for treating high blood pressure and angina. The results of the study were disappointing. 

Throughout the study, participants reported increased penile erection after using the medication. These side effects developed by the study participants and the failure of the drug to get the intended effect prompted Pfizer to shift the focus of the study towards studying its treatment for erectile dysfunction.

The results of the study were promising and they patented the drug in 1996. Two years later, in 1998 FDA finally approved the drug and Pfizer marketed the drug under the name of Viagra. The patent for the medicine expired in 2019 and Sildenafil Citrate was allowed to be manufactured by other pharmaceuticals apart from Pfizer. Currently, Sildenafil citrate is available in various trade names with Penegra being one.

Who Should Take Penegra?

Men with mild ED and men who do not complain of ED but who have risk factors of ED may benefit from treatment with Penegra.

Pfizer came out with a scoring system to help men and their doctors determine when Penegra should be used:

• Grade 1 — Penis size increases but is not hard
• Grade 2 — Penis is hard, but not hard enough for penetration
• Grade 3 — Penis is hard enough for penetration, but not completely hard
• Grade 4 — Penis is completely hard and rigid

Penegra has the most significant impact on men categorized into grades 1 and 2, but can also help men with grade 3 experience a fuller erection.

For maximum effectiveness, Penegra should be taken orally on an empty stomach.

Sildenafil also has FDA approval for the treatment of World Health Organization Group I pulmonary hypertension (also known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)) in adults to improve exercise tolerance and delay clinical worsening. [3]

Even with Penegra, you still need to be sexually aroused to experience an erection. Penegra will not trigger an erection on its own. It is important to remember that Penegra is not a sexual stimulant.

It’s important to take other measures to improve your erection, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and practicing foreplay before involving in sexual activity.

Is Penegra Safe?

Although Penegra is generally considered safe and well-tolerated, there are few potential side effects to be considered. The most common side effects are headache and flushing, both of which are short-lived and easily treated.

Mild side effects of Penegra can include:

• headache
• flushing
• indigestion
• mild and temporary vision changes, such as a blue tinge in your vision, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light
• nasal congestion (stuffy nose)
• back pain
• muscle pain
• nausea
• dizziness
• rash

Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. But if they become more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Less common but serious side effects may include:

• Sudden vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve
• Sudden loss of hearing. Can be associated with tinnitus and dizziness
• Priapism (prolonged and painful erection)
• Low blood pressure ( mostly when taken with other blood pressure-lowering medicine)
• cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, irregular heartbeat, or stroke, all of which occur mainly in people with heart disease

Medical attention is required if you develop any of these serious side effects.

Drug Interactions of Penegra

Penegra can interact with several other medications, causing different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe.

Before taking Penegra, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescriptions, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

Some of the potentially serious drug interactions are:

• Nitrates: It is used for treating chest pain in angina. Taking Penegra with nitrates can drop blood pressure dangerously leading to heart attack or stroke.
• Guanylate Cyclase (GC) Stimulators (pulmonary hypertension treatment): Blood pressure can drop too low if used with Penegra
• Anti-Hypertensive Medications — such as alpha-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin II receptor blockers. Similarly, using blood pressure medicine with Penegra can drop blood pressure severely.
• CYP3A4 inhibitors — such as ritonavir, ketoconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, sodium valproate, and others. This can decrease the metabolism of Penegra and thus leads to an increased risk of side effects.

Who Should Avoid Using Penegra?

Penegra can only be ordered with a written prescription from a doctor.

Here are a few examples of people who should avoid using Penegra altogether:

• Patients with severe heart disease or heart valve failure
• Patients with a history of Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION)
• Patients diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa
• Patients taking any of the contraindicated medications listed in the previous section
• Patients with a history of sildenafil hypersensitivity
• Patients with a history of priapism
• Patients with severe kidney disease
• Patients with certain blood disorders (hemophilia, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia)

How Does Penegra Work?

The erection of the penis depends on the relaxation of smooth muscles in the corpora cavernosa. When there is a sexual stimulus, cavernous nerves and endothelial cells release nitric oxide stimulating the formation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). cGMP is metabolized by phosphodiesterase type 5. 

Penegra is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor causing an increase in the level of cGMP. This increase in cGMP causes relaxation of smooth muscles in the corpora cavernosa increasing blood flow in the sinusoids. The increase in blood flow is responsible for penile erection.

Thus Penegra would be expected to restore and sustain the natural erectile response to sexual stimulation but do not cause erections in the absence of such stimulation.

What Happens if a Woman Takes Penegra?

There is not enough evidence to suggest that Penegra can be approved for use in women. However, Penegra and other phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors can be considered as an option during a holistic approach for the treatment of sexual problems in women. [4]

In men, Penegra improves blood flow to their penis by blocking the action of an enzyme called PDE5. This enzyme is also found in the vagina and the clitoris of women. So in theory, if a woman takes Penegra, it could increase blood flow to her genitals.

But the results in the studies are not promising enough to suggest the use of Penegra in women. This could be explained by the fact that there is less PDE5 in a female’s genitals than there is in a male’s penis.

And keep in mind that sexual problems in women often have a lot to do with reduced sexual desire and arousal. Penegra is unlikely to address these issues.

Furthermore, sexual problems in women are mostly associated with sexual desire and arousal, which is not addressed by Penegra.

Penegra Alternatives

There are other brands of sildenafil available throughout the world like Viagra and Revatio.

Pharmaceutical Alternatives

• Tadalafil (Cialis)
• Avanafil (Stendra)
• Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn, and Vivanza)
• Mirodenafil (Mvix)
• Udenafil (Zydena)

Are there any natural alternatives to Penegra?

While nothing in the natural world offers the specificity and potency of prescription ED medications, some natural substances can be used to provide similar results.

Here are some of the most common natural Penegra options to consider:

• Red Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium)
• L-Arginine (An Amino acid)
• Yohimbe (Pausinystalia johimbe)
• Muira puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides)
• Catuaba (Trichilia catigua)

Where to Buy Penegra?

Penegra is a prescription medication in countries around the world. This means that you can get the medicine if it is prescribed by the doctor to you.

Your doctor will assess any underlying medical conditions, the medications that you are taking, and the risk for potential allergic reactions before prescribing the medicine.

Once you have your prescription, you can visit any local pharmacy to order Penegra.

References Used

1. Silvestro, S., & Allegretti, G. Viagra (sildenafil): uses, side effects, interactions, and more.
2. McCullough, A. R. (2002). Four-year review of sildenafil citrate. Reviews in urology, 4(Suppl 3), S26.
3. Mitidieri, E., Cirino, G., di Villa Bianca, R. D. E., & Sorrentino, R. (2020). Pharmacology and perspectives in erectile dysfunction in man. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 208, 107493.
4. Monte, G. L., Graziano, A., Piva, I., & Marci, R. (2014). Women taking the “blue pill”(sildenafil citrate): such a big deal?. Drug Design, Development and Therapy, 8, 2251.