Viagra: What It Is, How It Works, and What You Need to Know

When people talk about Viagra, a prescription medication used to treat erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to the penis. Also known as sildenafil, it was the first oral treatment for ED to hit the market—and it changed how millions approach sexual health. But Viagra isn’t just a quick fix. It’s a powerful drug that interacts with your heart, your blood pressure, and even some of the medicines you might be taking daily. If you’re considering it—or already using it—you need to know what’s really going on inside your body.

Viagra works by blocking an enzyme called PDE5, which lets blood vessels in the penis relax and fill up. That’s how you get an erection. But that same mechanism affects other parts of your body too. If you’re on nitrates, medications often prescribed for chest pain or heart conditions, mixing them with Viagra can drop your blood pressure to dangerous levels. That’s not a side effect—it’s a medical emergency. And it’s not just nitrates. Some antibiotics, antifungals, and even grapefruit juice can change how your body processes sildenafil. The sildenafil drug interactions, how certain substances alter the way sildenafil is absorbed, metabolized, or cleared from the body are real, and they’re not always obvious.

There’s also a lot of confusion around generics. Vigora, Sildenafil Citrate, and other brands all contain the same active ingredient as Viagra. But not all are made the same. Some online sellers offer fake pills with wrong doses, or worse—contaminants. That’s why knowing where your medication comes from matters just as much as knowing what’s in it. And if you’re using it for reasons beyond ED—like pulmonary hypertension—that’s a different dosage, different risks, and different monitoring.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t just a list of articles. It’s a practical toolkit. You’ll see real comparisons between Viagra and other ED pills like Cialis and Levitra. You’ll learn how to spot dangerous reactions before they become emergencies. You’ll find out why some people can’t take it at all—and what alternatives actually work. There’s no fluff. No marketing. Just clear, grounded info based on what’s been studied, what’s been reported, and what matters when your health is on the line.