Levitra can only be taken shortly before intercourse. Cialis comes in two forms – for use as needed and for daily use. The effect of Levitra wears off after 4 hours and Cialis works for up to 36 hours. Levitra works in 69% of the patients whereas 71-84% of men taking Cialis report improved sexual performance. Levitra has fewer side effects than Cialis but can only be used to treat erectile dysfunction while Cialis is also effective against benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Levitra vs Cialis
Levitra (vardenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil) belong to a class of drugs called PDE5-inhibitors and are used to treat erectile dysfunction. However, there are differences between the two drugs that help define which of them is more appropriate for a particular patient. This article focuses on these differences and reviews the possibility of taking Cialis and Levitra together.
Levitra / Cialis Comparison
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As-Needed vs Daily Regimen
Levitra: Taken as needed, 30-60 minutes before the expected intercourse
Cialis: Taken either as needed, 30 minutes before the expected intercourse OR every day. The daily regimen is prescribed to patients suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia, a condition caused by prostate gland enlargement.
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Duration of Effect
Levitra: Up to 4 hours
Cialis: Up to 36 hours
The extended duration of effect of Cialis allows for greater spontaneity in choosing the time of the intercourse. Both medications reduce the refractory period between erections, so it’s possible to have sex more than once after taking the pill.
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Efficacy
Levitra: 69% of the patients report improved erection
Cialis: 71-84% of the patients report improved erection
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Contraindications
Both medications:
- Blood conditions: multiple myeloma, leukemia, sickle cell anemia, bleeding disorders;
- Cardiovascular conditions: hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, narrowing of the aortic heart valve, angina, arrhythmia, chronic heart failure, history of stroke;
- Eye conditions: pigmentary retinopathy, sudden vision loss;
- Hearing conditions: sudden hearing loss;
- Liver conditions: severe liver function impairment;
- Gastrointestinal conditions: stomach ulcer;
- Penile malformations: Peyronie’s disease, fibrous tissue in the penis.
- Specific for Levitra: Prolonged QT interval on EKG
- Specific for Cialis: alcohol intoxication, hypotension, renal impairment, seizures, restrictive cardiomyopathy.
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Use in BPH
Unlike Levitra, Cialis is FDA-approved for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia occurring alone or concomitantly with erectile dysfunction.
Taking Cialis and Levitra Together
Taking Cialis and Levitra at the same time is not recommended. Since both of these medications affect the same chemicals in the body, taking them together would be similar to taking an overdose of either of the two. This increases the risk of suffering from severe side effects, including such conditions as heart attack, permanent blindness and priapism.
According to DrugStats data for 2017, tadalafil (Cialis) is prescribed to patients in the US more often than vardenafil (Levitra). This is due to the drug’s higher efficacy, longer duration of effect and the fact that it is used to treat both ED and BPH. Levitra, in its turn, has fewer side effects. It is also a second-line option for patients non-responsive to treatment with Cialis or other PDE5 inhibitors.
Sources:
- Markou et al, A meta-analysis of the efficacy of vardenafil in treating erectile dysfunction - https://www.nature.com/articles/3901258
- Frajese et al, A meta-analysis of the efficacy of tadalafil in treating erectile dysfunction - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699638/#:~:text=Across%20all%20patients%20on%20tadalafil,placebo%20(p%3C0.001).
- Levitra contraindications, WebMD - https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-76765/levitra-oral/details/list-contraindications
- Cialis contraindications, WebMD - https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-77881/cialis-oral/details/list-contraindications
- Indications for use of Cialis - https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/021368s20s21lbl.pdf