A verdict of erectile dysfunction in men is often an embarrassing and frightening situation. The causes for this could be medical or psychological. The advent of drugs like Viagra and Cialis; which help improve this condition; have given a new life to sexual health in men. Cialis is a prescription medication and therefore before one starts taking it, the doctor should be informed about the medical history and current lifestyle as well as health status. One should honestly tell the doctor about the drinking habits too.
The pill can be taken an hour before the sexual intercourse. If the need arises, you can consume moderate levels of alcohol, along with the dose. At the same time, extreme caution must be taken that Cialis and sparkling wines or low quality alcoholic beverages should never be taken together. Continue reading to know how safe is it to take Cialis and alcohol together?
About Cialis
Cialis is the drug of choice for erectile dysfunction. The main component of Cialis is Tadalafil. Tadalafil is a cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. It is used to treat symptoms of enlarged prostate also called as benign prostatic hypertrophy. It is also more popularly used to treat erectile dysfunction.
Mode of Action of Cialis
Erection of the penis occurs when the penis is filled with blood. When there is sexual stimulation, nitric oxide is released into the penis. This enables the production of cGMP which controls the dilation and contraction of the blood vessels that take blood from and to the penis. PDE5 is the substance that destroys cGMP, causing the erection to end.
Tadafil is a PDE5 inhibitor, which stops PDE5 from destroying cGMP and thus results in a long lasting erection.
Dosage and Administration of Cialis
For erectile dysfunction, Cialis is recommended to most patients at a 10mg dose, to be taken, just before the probable sexual activity. The starting dose of Cialis is usually 2.5mg once a day, irrespective of the sexual activity. Improvement with this dose is seen in a span of 2 to 4 days. As per the tolerance and efficacy is concerned, the dose can be titrated to 20mg or 5mg.
The frequency of the dose is once a day, with or without food and should not exceed this. The tablets should be taken as a whole without breaking it or splitting it into half.
The effect of Cialis usually lasts up to 36 hours.
What Should My Physician Know Before I Take Cialis?
Cialis is not an over the counter drug. It should only be prescribed by a physician after taking into consideration the health and medical complications of the patient.
The following conditions need to be revealed to the doctor, before consuming Cialis:-
- Cardiac problems
- History of Blood pressure
- History of Stroke
- Liver or kidney problems
- Ophthalmological Disease
- Peyronie’s disease (deformed penis shape)
- Blood cell problems
Side Effects of Cialis
Some of the side effects of Cialis are acidic stomach, indigestion and heartburn. Some of the lesser known side effects are dizziness, chest pain, blurred vision, nausea etc. You need to call the doctor immediately if some of the uncommon side effects listed below are seen:
Long Duration of Erection
If there is an erection, which lasts longer than a period of 4 hours, its better to consult a physician and get the dose adjusted.
Vision and Hearing
A sudden decrease in loss of vision or loss of hearing may be experienced in some cases.
Can I Take Cialis and Alcohol Together?
The most common question is that, is it safe to consume alcoholic beverages while taking Cialis. Cialis is a safe drug and drinking alcohol in low quantities, while taking this drug, does not really cause any health risks. Having just a glass of beer or wine, should not be a problem. But at the same time, drinking too much alcohol while taking Cialis; can lead to problems. One of the major problems this can cause is orthostatic hypotension. This is when there is sudden decrease in blood pressure when you stand up. This occurs because both Cialis and alcohol work as vasodilators.
Vasodilators relax the walls of the blood vessels, allowing them to open wider, thus in turn lowering the blood pressure. This may lead to dizziness, headache or fainting, causing physical injuries too.
Regardless of the fact that Cialis and alcohol work in tandem in small quantities and do not pose a risk, it is necessary to combine them with extreme caution.
Clinical Study on Alcohol and Cialis
Eli Lilly (A pharmaceutical company), conducted a clinical research about consumption of Cialis and Alcohol together. It was found that, tadalafil, the main component of Cialis, showed no major effect on the absorption of alcohol in the body; likewise alcohol too did not affect the absorption of tadalafil taken.
Cases of lower blood pressure were noticed when patients taking cialis (10mg or 20mg), consumed alcohol. This was in comparison to only alcohol intake. Nevertheless, no grave danger or no major severe side effects were seen.
Conclusion
Although avoiding alcohol is the best solution, limiting the drinks to one or two, will further help in keeping the things safe. As they say, prevention is better than cure! Be vigilant and incase of any adverse event, do consult your physician immediately. Remember moderation is the key!
