Tastylia

Erectile dysfunction (ED) can be defined as a persistent inability to get or maintain a penile erection adequate for a satisfying sexual experience.[1] ED can be many times distressing to patients and their partners, often leading to psychological, family, and social issues. Tastylia is a medication prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction and thus helps in solving those issues. It is also approved by FDA to treat symptoms associated with enlarged prostate, a condition named benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

The medicine is also known as the “weekend pill” because its effect lasts longer in comparison to other alternatives like viagra.[2]

In this article, we’ll intend to cover everything you need to know about Tastylia.

What is Tastylia?

Tastylia is a drug based on tadalafil, which is a selective phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. It is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and sometimes pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs). The drug in the form of Cialis is manufactured by Eli Lilly and company.

Erectile dysfunction is a very common condition that gets worse with age. The condition prevents you from having satisfying sexual intercourse and can lead to mental health issues such as irritability, anxiety, and depression. To treat this condition, the development of the drug which inhibits PDE5 leading to improved erection was truly a remarkable achievement. The first PDE5 inhibitor to be developed was sildenafil but later tadalafil was also discovered which has the benefit of lasting longer. The medicine is taken 30 minutes to 60 minutes before the sexual activity and lasts for up to 36 hours.[2]

Tastylia is a prescription-only medicine. It comes in the form of tablets to swallow.

What is the dose of Tastylia?

A tablet of Tastylia is taken 30 minutes before sexual activity. The usual dose for a single tablet is 10 mg. The dose of the medicine is changed according to the medicine’s response and the side effect profile. The dose decreases if there are worrisome side effects and increases if there is little or no response. The effect of Tastylia usually lasts longer than 24 hours. So, you should not take more than one tablet a day.

The dose of Tastylia for the symptoms related to enlarged prostate is 2.5 mg or 5 mg. If the medicine is to be prescribed for both erectile dysfunction and BPH, you would be prescribed 5 mg.

The dose of the medicine for pulmonary hypertension is 40 mg, which is much higher than prescribed for erectile dysfunction. The dose is adjusted to 10 or 20 mg if you are having any kidney problems.

The available doses of Tastylia are 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. For erectile dysfunction, it is prescribed on an “as needed” basis, however, for BPH and pulmonary hypertension it is prescribed on regular basis.

How Long Does Tastylia Last?

It usually takes 30 to 60 minutes for Tastylia to work. So, it should be taken around 30 minutes before sexual activity. The effects of the drug last for around 36 hours. So, it is also called the “weekend pill”. The longer-lasting effect of Tastylia is due to the slow half-life of tadalafil which is its active composition. The effect of other PDE5 inhibitors lasts for around 4 to 6 hours.

How Much Does Tastylia Cost?

The cost of a pill of Tastylia is around $1 to $2.5.

Depending on the need, the generic medicine tadalafil can be found as a cheaper option.

The History of Tastylia

In 1998, US food and drug administration (FDA) approved the first PDE5 inhibitor drug sildenafil under the brand name Viagra. It was a remarkable achievement. Two years following that, Lilly ICOS, LLC applied a new drug within the FDA under the generic name of Tadalafil and the Cialis brand name. The filing was approved in 2003 by FDA for erectile dysfunction which gave a newer alternative to sildenafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED).

Furthermore, in 2011 the US FDA approved the drug for its use in symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate.

Currently, the patent for the brand name Cialis is expired and it is available in different brand names manufactured by various pharmaceuticals. Tastylia is one of the brand names of tadalafil.

Who Should Take Tastylia?

Tastylia is only suitable for adults aged 18 and over. Some of the indications of Tastylia are:

Erectile dysfunction: Tastylia helps to get a penile erection for satisfying sexual intercourse. So, you can take Tastylia if are having a problem with penile erection. However, Tastylia is not able to cause erection on its own if you do not have sexual arousal. So, sexual arousal is important for its activity.
Benign Prostate hyperplasia: Tastylia is also effective in the treatment associated with an enlarged prostate. Thus, helping to avoid symptoms of enlarged prostate.
Pulmonary hypertension: Owing to its activity if dilatation of blood vessels it helps to reduce increase pressure in the lungs by decreasing the resistance to blood flow.

Is Tastylia Safe?

Tastylia is considered a safe medication and is generally well tolerated. However, there are few common side effects with an incidence of around 1 in 100 with the commonest side effect reported being headache and dyspepsia. The side effects are often dose-dependent and become severe with increasing doses.

Common side effects:

These side effects are mild and you can continue to take your medicine even if you develop these side effects. However, you need to tell your healthcare provider if these side effects do not resolve over time or if it becomes bothersome.

Headaches
Feeling sick or nausea
Vomiting
Indigestion
Bloating
Nasal stuffiness
Muscle pain
Gastroesophageal reflux
Dizziness
Ringing in the ears
Tachycardia, palpitations, hypotension, hypertension
Dyspnea, epistaxis
Abdominal pain
Rash, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)

Serious side effects

The severe side effects are rare and occur in less than 1 per 1000 people. You immediately need to stop the medication and see your doctor, if you develop any of these severe side effects.

Sudden loss of hearing
Sudden loss of eyesight
Chest pain: It is important to note that you should not take nitrates for chest pain.
Prolonged and/or painful erections ( erections lasting for more than 4 hours)
Serious allergy or skin reactions: generalized rash throughout the body associated with swelling of lips, swelling of the tongue, difficulty breathing, or hoarse voice.
Seizures or fits.

Tastylia Drug Interactions

Tastylia can interact with other medicines, supplements, or herbal medicines. The effect of the interaction can be minimal or it could be serious. Some interactions can reduce the efficacy of Tastylia and some of them interfere by potentiating the side effects of the drug leading to dangerous outcomes.

So, it is important to tell your doctor, if you are taking any medicines, supplements, or herbal products.

Some common drugs that may interact with Tastylia include:

Nitrates

Nitrates are the medicines used for angina-related chest pain. Both nitrates and Tastylia work by dilatation of blood vessels leading to a lowering of blood pressure. So, combining these two drugs can severely lower your blood pressure leading to loss of consciousness and other serious outcomes.[3]

Alpha-Blockers

Alpha-blockers are medicines used in the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia. So, its a chance you might be prescribed Tastylia for BPH. So, you need to inform your doctor about the medications that you are taking. A combination of these two medicines can cause a serious drop in blood pressure.

Antihypertensives

Similarly, if you are taking antihypertensives, the effect of those medicines can be aggravated leading to a serious drop in blood pressure.

Alcohol

The effects of mixing alcohol and Tastylia include Low blood pressure, dizziness, headaches, and increased heart rate. It might also affect the efficacy of Tastylia.

Antacids

Antacids can reduce the absorption of Tastylia. Thus reducing its effectiveness.

CYP3A4 Inhibitors

Tastylia is primarily metabolized in the liver by the CYP3A4 enzymes. Taking other drugs that are metabolized by this enzyme can affect the rate of decay for Tastylia. This can lead to a prolonged half-life of the drug and elevated concentrations in the bloodstream. This can increase the risk of developing side effects.

Common CYP3A4 Inhibitors Include:

Sodium Valproate
Isoniazid
Cimetidine
Ketoconazole
Omeprazole

CYP3A4 Inducers

Opposite to CYP3A4 inhibitors, some medications increase the activity of this enzyme — leading to faster metabolism of Tastylia. This may reduce the effectiveness of the medicine.

Common CYP3A4 Inducers Include:

Rifampin
Carbamazepine
Phenytoin
Phenobarbital
Griseofulvin

Who Should Avoid Taking Tastylia?

You should avoid Tastylia intake under the following conditions:

You had an allergic reaction to a medicine containing tadalafil in the past.
You have a serious heart problem or the risks associated like heart failure, myocardial infarction, or congenital heart disease
You have a serious liver problem.
You recently suffered from a stroke or a heart attack
You have low blood pressure or hypertension which is not under control.
You have got a problem with your eyesight due to a problem with the blood flow to the eyes.
You are taking nitrates.

In the following situations, you need to consult your healthcare provider and follow their advice:

You have been diagnosed with sickle cell anemia (abnormality of red blood cells), leukemia (a type of blood cancer), or multiple myeloma (a cancer of bone marrow)
You have Peyronie’s disease (curved penis)
You have kidney problems
You are pregnant or breastfeeding.

How Does Tastylia Work?

Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) is a compound responsible for relaxing smooth muscles in the penis and increasing blood flow in the penis. This blood flow in the penis helps men to achieve an erection adequate for sexual intercourse. The compound cGMP is broken down by an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) and removed from the body.

Tastylia acts by inhibiting this enzyme responsible for cGMP metabolism called phosphodiesterase 5(PDE5). Inhibition of PDE5 increases the cGMP level in the blood relaxing the smooth muscle and inflow of blood into the corpus cavernosum.

Similarly, it works in pulmonary hypertension by relaxing pulmonary blood vessels and thus reducing the resistance of pulmonary vasculature.

It helps to improve the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate by relaxing the muscles of the prostate and urinary bladder.

Arousal is still needed to trigger the erection in the first place by sending signals to nerves in the penis. So, Tastylia only works when sexual arousal is present. If sexual arousal is the problem that you are facing you can seek help from your healthcare provider, along with adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Can Women Use Tastylia Too?

Women can use Tastylia for pulmonary hypertension but there is not enough evidence to recommend Tasttylia for sexual problems in women.

Most of the sexual problems in women are associated with sexual arousal and desire which is not addressed by Tastylia. So, other measures such as foreplay before engaging in sexual activity, regular physical activity, stress management, and a balanced nutritious diet are more helpful in women with sexual problems. If these measures did not help, then you can get help from the experts in the field.[4]

Tastylia Alternatives

Tastylia is just one of several brand-name PDE5 inhibitors used for treating erectile dysfunction.

Some pharmaceutical alternatives for Tastylia include:

Sildenafil (Viagra)
Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn, and Vivanza)
Avanafil (Stendra)
Mirodenafil (Mvix)
Udenafil (Zydena)

Some medical devices like penis pumps and cock rings are also considered an alternative to medicines.

Tadalafil is also no longer protected under patent law, which means there are generic versions of the drug available at a much lower cost than the official brand name version of the drug.

Natural Alternatives To Tastylia

The umbrella term for natural products that would be helpful to treat symptoms associated with erectile dysfunction is “natural viagra”. Though there are claims reporting them to be effective they are not regulated by US FDA and hence we could not recommend these natural alternatives. In addition, they may not be effective or sometimes can cause serious adverse effects.

However, there are a few promising candidates worth mentioning:

Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium spp.): This is a medicinal herb in ancient Chinese medicine. It contains a compound called icariin, which has a mild PDE5 inhibition effect. Human studies are not adequate to recommend these alternatives.[5]

L-Arginine: This amino acid is one of the required precursors for nitric oxide production, which in turn promotes the activity of cGMP to promote erection

Korean Red Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium): It has been found that the Korean Ginseng is effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction but further study is warranted for the recommendation.[6]

Yohimbe: It is made from the bark of an African evergreen tree which has some PDE5 inhibition activity.

Where to Buy Tastylia?

Tastylia is a medicine that you cannot buy without a prescription from a doctor. After your doctor has prescribed you the medicine you can get from a medical store or you can get it online.

You must tell about your medical condition and any medicines, herbs, or supplements that you are taking to the doctor. The doctor might also assess your general health and may send some investigations if needed.

You would be prescribed the medicine only if it would be beneficial to you.

References Used

Curran, M. P., & Keating, G. M. (2003). Tadalafil. Drugs, 63(20), 2203-2212.
Coward, R. M., & Carson, C. C. (2008). Tadalafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, 4(6), 1315.
Kloner, R. A., Hutter, A. M., Emmick, J. T., Mitchell, M. I., Denne, J., & Jackson, G. (2003). Time course of the interaction between tadalafil and nitrates. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 42(10), 1855-1860.
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.
Dell’Agli, M., Galli, G. V., Dal Cero, E., Belluti, F., Matera, R., Zironi, E., … & Bosisio, E. (2008). Potent inhibition of human phosphodiesterase-5 by icariin derivatives. Journal of Natural Products, 71(9), 1513-1517.
Borrelli, F., Colalto, C., Delfino, D. V., Iriti, M., & Izzo, A. A. (2018). Herbal dietary supplements for erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Drugs, 78(6), 643-673.