Cialis (tadalafil)
By: Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, Pharm.D. on May 15, 2020 — Written by Jennifer Mitri Williamson, Pharm.D. Source: Medical News Today web site: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cialis.
Cialis is a brand-name prescription medication. It’s FDA-approved to treat the following in men:
erectile dysfunction (ED), a condition in which you can’t get or keep an erection symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a prostate condition that may cause problems with urination ED and symptoms of BPH together.
Cialis comes as a tablet that you swallow. It’s available in four strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg. Depending on your situation and what condition Cialis is treating, you’ll take the drug either before sexual activity or once a day.
Cialis contains the active drug ingredient tadalafil and belongs to a group of medications called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. For ED, Cialis relaxes the blood vessels leading to the penis so that more blood can flow into it. For BPH symptoms, Cialis relaxes muscles in your bladder, allowing you to urinate more easily.
Cialis is available only by prescription. It’s not available over the counter. Effectiveness.
For information on the effectiveness of Cialis in treating these conditions, please see the “Cialis uses” section below. Cialis generic.
Cialis is available as a generic drug called tadalafil. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.
In some cases, the brand-name drug and the generic version may come in different forms and strengths. Cialis dosage.
The Cialis dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:
the type and severity of the condition you’re using Cialis to treat your age other medical conditions you may have how often you’re taking Cialis.
Typically, your doctor will start you on a low dosage. Then they’ll adjust it over time to reach the amount that’s right for you. Your doctor will ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect.
If you have certain conditions, such as kidney or liver problems, your doctor may have you start with a low dose of Cialis. This is done so that the medication doesn’t affect your other conditions.
The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. Drug forms and strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg.
Cialis comes as a tablet that you swallow. It’s available in four strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. Dosage for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
For symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, the recommended dosage of Cialis is 5 mg once a day. You should take the drug at about the same time each day.
In some cases, your doctor may have you take 5 mg of Cialis a day along with finasteride (Proscar) to treat BPH. (See the “Cialis use with other drugs” section below to learn more.) If you take both Cialis and finasteride, you’ll usually take these two drugs for up to 26 weeks. Dosage for erectile dysfunction (ED)
Here’s some information on the Cialis dosages for erectile dysfunction. Cialis taken as needed.
If your doctor recommends that you take Cialis only as needed for ED, the usual dosage is 10 mg before sexual activity. They may reduce this to 5 mg if the medication is working too well. But if this dose doesn’t work for you, your doctor may have you take two 5 mg tablets of Cialis at once. This will increase the dose back to 10 mg.
If the 10-mg dose of Cialis isn’t working well enough, your doctor may increase it to 20 mg. The maximum dose of Cialis that can be taken in a day is 20 mg.
You shouldn’t take Cialis more than once a day. In clinical trials, Cialis helped people with ED symptoms for up to 36 hours after their dose. So if you’re taking the medication only as needed, you shouldn’t have to take it every day.
Note: It’s very important that you take only the amount of Cialis that your doctor instructs you to take. And be sure to speak with them if you feel you need more of the drug, rather than increasing your dosage yourself. Cialis taken once a day.
Cialis can also be taken once a day to treat ED. In this case, the dosage usually starts at 2.5 mg a day. If this daily dosage doesn’t work well enough to treat your ED, your doctor may increase it to 5 mg a day.
And if your doctor recommends using Cialis every day, you should take the drug at about the same time each day. You don’t need to take Cialis before sexual activity unless your doctor says to use the drug only as needed. (See the “Cialis taken as needed” section right above to learn more.)
Note: It’s very important that you take only the amount of Cialis that your doctor instructs you to take. And be sure to speak with them if you feel you need more of the drug, rather than increasing your dosage yourself. Dosage for ED and BPH.
To treat both ED and symptoms of BPH together, the typical dose of Cialis is 5 mg, once a day. You should try to take your dose at about the same time each day. Higher dosages of Cialis.
The approved dosages of Cialis for ED, BPH symptoms, or both, are between 2.5 mg and 20 mg a day or as needed. Dosages higher than 20 mg a day haven’t been studied, and it’s not known what side effects may occur with them.
For example, if you take your “as-needed” dose of 20 mg twice a day, you’ll end up taking 40 mg. This dose is too high and may cause serious side effects, such as decreased blood pressure.
Note: It’s very important that you take only the amount of Cialis that your doctor instructs you to take. And be sure to speak with them if you feel you need more of the drug, rather than increasing your dosage yourself.
Skip to content
About Purchasing Cialis (generic name: tadalafil) from a Canadian online pharmacy