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The last oral ED drug to win FDA approval, Stendra is said to take effect more quickly and last longer than some of its competitors, including Viagra and Levitra. Its active ingredient is avanafil.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects an estimated 30 to 40 million American men. The three main ED drugs — Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis — have been on the market for up to two decades or slightly more. Staxyn, an orosoluble form of Levitra (vardenafil) was introduced in 2011, and the newest drug, Stendra, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April 2012. Stendra is made by pharmaceutical company Vivus.
Like the “big three” ED drugs, Stendra is a PDE5 inhibitor that increases blood flow to the penis.
The active ingredient in Stendra is called avanafil, and it is a slightly different variation of the PDE5 inhibitors that make other ED drugs work. Stendra is available in dosages of 50, 100, and 200 milligrams. While the drugmaker’s recommended starting dosage of Stendra is 100 milligrams, the FDA has recommended that physicians prescribe the lowest dose that is effective, which for some men could be as low as 50 milligrams.
How Does Stendra Work?
Stendra, which may be taken with or without food, increases blood flow to the penis. During sexual stimulation, the body produces cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP. This substance causes blood vessel dilation in the penis and, hence, increased blood flow to the penis, resulting in an erection. cGMP is broken down by PDE5. Therefore, when PDE5 is blocked or inhibited, the amount of cGMP in the penis increases, leading to increased blood flow and an erection.
Viagra, Levitra, Staxyn, and Cialis are also PDE 5 inhibitors that are formulated slightly differently. For this reason, if one ED drug does not work well, a physician may prescribe another, in the hopes that the slightly different formulation will work more effectively with the patient’s particular body chemistry. Each of these drugs has slightly different effects, and a man may find that one of them works better than the others.
How Fast Does Stendra Work?
Stendra’s main selling point is that it works quickly. While it is recommended that Stendra be taken half an hour before sexual activity, many men report that it is effective within 15 minutes, allowing for more spontaneity than is usually possible with Viagra, for example, which can take up to an hour to start working. As for length of effectiveness, some men reported better erections for up to six hours after taking Stendra.
Clinical trials revealed that 77 percent of men with ED achieved erections after taking Stendra, as compared with 54 percent of those taking placebos. For diabetic men, Stendra was effective in 63 percent of the cases, versus 42 percent of those taking a placebo. The following table compares how fast the various ED drugs work and how long the effects last:
| Drug | How Quickly It Works | How Long Effects Last |
| Stendra | 15 to 30 minutes | 6 hours |
| Cialis | 15 to 45 minutes | 36 hours |
| Levitra / Staxyn | 25 minutes* | 4 to 5 hours |
| Viagra | 30 minutes* | 4 to 5 hours |
* May take longer to work if taken with a meal
Side Effects of Stendra
Since Stendra is a PDE5 inhibitor, its side effects are similar to those seen with the other ED drugs. The most common adverse effects include:
- Headache
- Flushing
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Back pain
These side effects are usually not severe enough to cause men to discontinue use. Other side effects, which should be reported to a physician promptly, include:
- Erection lasting four or more hours
- Changes in color vision
- Loss of vision
- Loss of hearing
As with Viagra, Levitra, Staxyn, and Cialis, Stendra should not be taken by men who take nitrates because the combination of the ED drug and nitrates can cause blood pressure to drop suddenly. Additionally, Stendra and other PDE5 inhibitors are metabolized by an enzyme called CYP3A4. Drugs that inhibit or induce CYP3A4, such as antihypertensives like Nitro-Spray and HIV protease inhibitors, could react with Stendra, so it’s a good idea to speak with your physician if you take any of these other drugs.
Though Stendra is a PDE5 inhibitor like its competitors, researchers believe that its active ingredient is more selective than that in the older drugs, and this may indicate that it has fewer side effects. Thus far, no definitive determination about side effects has been made.
Stendra and Other Major ED Drugs
The introduction of Stendra gives men yet another option for treating erectile dysfunction, and should help men fine tune their treatment based on their individual needs and their response to the various choices in ED treatment. If you have taken any of the other major ED drugs successfully, then it is very likely that you would be considered a good candidate for taking Stendra. Finding the right prescription drug to treat ED sometimes involves trial and error, and some physicians have take-home samples of the various drugs that you can try to see which works best for you.
Where Can You Buy Stendra?
Like its competitors, Stendra is a prescription drug that can be purchased at both physical pharmacies and mail order pharmacies. To obtain Stendra legally in the United States, you need a prescription.
Like all ED drugs, Stendra is offered for sale on countless internet sites from around the world. However, ordering from these sites (including the ones claiming to be Canadian) is a bad idea for two main reasons:
- With a very few, highly-specific exceptions, it’s illegal to import prescription drugs into the United States. While it’s possible a shipment will make it past U.S. Customs and Border Protection, if your shipment is intercepted, you could find yourself in an uncomfortable legal situation.
- Drugs for ED are among the most counterfeited drugs, and Viagra is the most counterfeited drug ever. Even Canadian pharmacies can be dangerous to order medications from. The chances that you would receive genuine Stendra by Vivus (particularly if it is offered at a very low price) are very small. Ingredients in counterfeit drugs range from inert ingredients to very dangerous ingredients. It’s never worth it to put your health at risk by buying from a questionable website.
If the convenience of ordering Stendra or any other ED drug online appeals to you, consider the many benefits of dealing with a longtime online facilitator such as eDrugstore.com. Based in Tempe, Arizona, eDrugstore supplies only FDA-approved medications sourced exclusively from licensed U.S. pharmacies. If you don’t have a doctor’s prescription, eDrugstore can set up a complimentary online consultation with a licensed U.S. physician who can authorize a prescription if appropriate. To learn more, visit eDrugstore’s Erection Problems page.
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