Fast-acting Stendra, the last brand-name erectile dysfunction drug to win Food and Drug Administration approval, claims it causes fewer side effects than its competitors. Consumers must weigh its benefits against its hefty price tag. 

First approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2012, Stendra bills itself as “the next-generation ED treatment.” In clinical trials, the medication has proved itself to be fast-acting, taking effect in about 15 minutes on average, and unlike some of the erectile dysfunction drugs introduced earlier, it has fewer side effects. Plus, its erection-friendly effects last for up to six hours. These are all good things.

On the downside, Stendra is generally pretty pricey, and unlike its “Big 3” competitors — Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra — it has no direct Generic competition yet and probably won’t for some time to come. Given these hard facts, prospective buyers must decide whether Stendra’s added benefits make it worth the extra bucks they’ll have to shell out to buy it.

How to Save Money

The recommended starting dose for Stendra is 100 milligrams. The drug is available in tablets of 50, 100, and 200 milligrams. Savvy buyers usually buy the 200-milligram tablets and then divide them in two using a pill splitter. Given that the prices for 100- and 200-milligram tablets are virtually the same, this essentially gives them two pills for the price of one.

Here’s a quick look at currently posted prices for Stendra at three major retail chains and also at online facilitator eDrugstore.com, a dependable online supplier of Stendra and all other ED drugs, both brand-name and generic.

As you can see in the accompanying table, the average price per 100-milligram dose of Stendra is a hefty $39.21. This is significantly higher than the prices charged for the generic equivalents of Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis. The average price for sildenafil citrate, Viagra’s generic equivalent, is $24.46, while the average prices for vardenafil hydrochloride (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis on demand) are $20.83 and $26.37, respectively.

For men looking for a truly long-lasting drug, Stendra is unlikely to stand up well to Cialis and its generic equivalent, which last for up to 36 hours. Stendra is most likely to appeal to users of Viagra, Levitra, and their generic equivalents, all of which have a duration of action in the four- to six-hour range.

Men sensitive to the side effects triggered by the earlier ED medications might well opt for Stendra to avoid those unpleasant symptoms. According to its manufacturer, Stendra’s minimal side effects are attributable to its precise targeting of the phosphodiesterase-5 enzyme, which interferes with optimal blood flow, particularly in men with vascular problems.

While Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis also work to temporarily disable the PDE5 enzyme, they tend to interfere with the normal operations of other PDE enzymes, including PDE1, PDE3, PDE6, and PDE11. This, according to Stendra’s official website, accounts for some of the earlier drugs’ more bothersome side effects, such as low blood pressure and impaired vision.

Perks From eDrugstore

Whether you opt for Stendra or one of the earlier ED medications, including their generic equivalents, you’ll find the drug you want at eDrugstore.com, which has been in business since the late 1990s. While its prices tend to be a bit higher than those charged by brick-and-mortar retailers, eDrugstore offers its customers a number of cost-saving extras. Primary among those is a complimentary consultation with a licensed U.S. physician who can authorize a prescription if appropriate. This represents a significant savings of both time and money. To learn more, visit eDrugstore’s Erectile Dysfunction page.