ED Medication Comparison: Sildenafil, Vardenafil, and More Side by Side

When it comes to treating erectile dysfunction, a condition where a man can’t get or keep an erection sufficient for sex. Also known as impotence, it affects more than half of men over 40 at some point. The most common solution isn’t surgery or devices—it’s oral medication. These drugs, called PDE5 inhibitors, a class of drugs that boost blood flow to the penis by blocking an enzyme that restricts it. include sildenafil (Viagra, ManForce), vardenafil (Levitra), tadalafil (Cialis), and avanafil (Stendra). They all work similarly, but small differences in timing, duration, and side effects make one better than another for certain people.

Take sildenafil, the first widely used ED drug, still the most prescribed today. It usually starts working in 30 to 60 minutes, lasts about 4 to 5 hours, and works best on an empty stomach. If you eat a heavy meal first, it might take twice as long to kick in. Vardenafil, a close cousin of sildenafil, works faster—sometimes in as little as 25 minutes—and is less affected by food. That’s why some men switch to it when sildenafil feels too slow or unreliable. Both can cause headaches, flushing, or upset stomach, but vardenafil has a slightly lower chance of causing vision changes. Then there’s tadalafil, which lasts up to 36 hours—hence the nickname "the weekend pill." It’s great for spontaneity but harder to adjust if side effects pop up.

Not everyone responds the same way. Some men find one drug works perfectly, while another gives them dizziness or a pounding headache. Others need to try two or three before finding the right fit. Your doctor might suggest starting with the lowest dose and adjusting based on how your body reacts. Diet, alcohol, stress, and other meds like blood pressure drugs can all change how these pills behave. That’s why comparing them isn’t just about price or brand—it’s about matching the drug’s profile to your lifestyle and health. The posts below dig into real comparisons: how ManForce stacks up against other sildenafil brands, how vardenafil helps with Peyronie’s disease, and why some men choose one over another after trial and error. You’ll find no marketing fluff—just clear, side-by-side breakdowns based on actual use, research, and user reports.