Directions for Taking Cialis

As with all medicine, you should take Cialis exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take it in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. It is best take each dose with a full glass of water. Cialis can be taken with an empty stomach, not necessarily with food.

With Cialis, you don't have to take it routinely, rather, Cialis is usually taken only when needed, just before sexual activity. The medication can help achieve an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. However, know that an erection will not occur just by taking a pill.

Remember not to take Cialis more than once a day. Allow 24 hours to pass between doses. Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection known as priapism can damage the penis. Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Can Cialis Help?

Cialis is the brand name for Tadalafil which is a drug used to treat male erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence by relaxing muscles and increases blood flow to particular areas of the body. Cialis was developed by the biotechnology firm ICOS and marketed worldwide by Eli Lilly and Company under its brand name Cialis.

In the U.S., tadalafil has Food and Drug Administration approval and became available in December, 2003 as the third impotence pill after Viagra and Levitra. Due to its 36-hour effect it is also known as the weekend pill. It should be noted that the drug has not been formally studied in regard to multiple sexual attempts during a 36 hour period.

Cialis works by inhibiting PDE5, an enzyme found primarily in the arterial wall smooth muscle tissue of the penis and the lungs. By inhibiting PDE5, Cialis relaxes blood vessels in the penis, thereby increasing blood flow and aiding in erection. Cialis is a potent and selective inhibitor of cGMP specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) which is responsible for degradation of cGMP in the corpus cavernosum. The molecular structure of tadalafil is similar to that of cGMP and acts as a competitive binding agent of PDE5 in the corpus cavernosum, resulting in more cGMP and better erections. Without sexual stimulation, and therefore lack of activation of the NO/cGMP system, tadalafil should not cause an erection.