Sildenafil vs Viagra - What is the difference?

To start with, they both contain the same active ingredient, sildenafil citrate.

Sildenafil citrate is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor – a class of drugs that encourages blood vessels to relax, allowing for an influx of blood which causes an erection.

Pfizer originally had the license to be the sole distributor of Viagra.

In 2013, the UK patent on Viagra expired, which enabled other pharmaceutical companies to start using the same ingredient, sildenafil citrate, under their own brands. These brands are also referred to as, generic Viagra.

Given that they both contain the same ingredient, medically, sildenafil is as good as Viagra.

They both contain the same ingredient, so any differences are likely to be in the packaging and price.

Viagra is a diamond shaped blue tablet. It will have the dose engraved onto the tablet. Sildenafil tablets are usually blue or white, and come in all shapes.

Apart from the differences in packaging, the only other difference between the two, is price.

As the generic form of Viagra, you can expect sildenafil to cost less. With a more competitive price on the market, men suffering from ED have more options, making it easier to treat erectile dysfunction and enjoy a healthy sex life.

Here are the current prices for Viagra, sildenafil, and Viagra Connect:

*Prices may vary depending on the dose and quantity

Given that the active ingredients are the same, the side effect profile will also be the same. Side effects can include:

• Blurry vision
• Facial flushing
• Diarrhoea
• Heartburn
• Headaches (read about Viagra headaches for more information)

If you take more than the recommended dose for Viagra or sildenafil, or mix the pill with other drugs, or more than one or two alcoholic drinks, you’re more at risk of serious side effects such as dizziness, sudden loss of vision, or hearing problems. If you notice any of these, contact your doctor right away.

Until recently, Viagra and sildenafil were only available with a prescription. However, today, you can buy Viagra over the counter from a licensed pharmacist, in the form of Viagra Connect.

Viagra Connect, which is essentially the brand name for over-the-counter Viagra, contains the same ingredients as the prescription version. It works in the same way as sildenafil and Viagra. Like Viagra, it is also manufactured by Pfizer.

The one distinction between Viagra and Viagra Connect is the dosage amount.

• Regular Viagra pills are available as 25mg, 50mg and 100mg.
• Viagra Connect pills contain 50mg of sildenafil citrate. They aren’t available in different doses.

Apart from the differences in dose, there is no difference between Viagra and Viagra Connect.

Today, men looking for erectile dysfunction treatment have more options than they did a few short years ago. In addition to sildenafil and Viagra, there are different oral medications that are made with other types of PDE5 inhibitors, such as tadalafil and vardenafil.

To find out more, visit our article: Viagra alternatives

There is no medical difference between sildenafil (generic Viagra) and Viagra, and they both have the same effect. In fact, Viagra is sildenafil. When deciding which medication to take, the only real difference is the price, with sildenafil being priced much cheaper than Viagra.

You can expect the medical effects, the pill quality, and your personal experience to be identical, as they contain the same active ingredient, sildenafil citrate.