About Tadalafil

Tadalafil is a medicine used to:

• Treat erectile dysfunction (ED) — trouble getting or keeping an erection.
• Treat enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH).
• Treat pulmonary hypertension — high blood pressure in the lungs.

You can only get Tadalafil with a doctor’s prescription.
It comes in tablet form and can be taken with or without food, using water.

Important Information

• For ED, take Tadalafil 30 to 60 minutes before sex.
• You should only take it once a day.
• It won’t cause an erection by itself — you must be sexually aroused for it to work.
• Most men don’t have major side effects, but some may get:
  • Headache
  • Back or muscle pain
  • Stuffy nose
  • Indigestion
  • Flushed face

⚠️ Do NOT take Tadalafil if you are using nitrates (used for chest pain). This combination can dangerously lower your blood pressure.

Tadalafil is sold under brand names like Cialis (for ED and BPH) and Adcirca (for lung hypertension).

Who Can and Can’t Take It

Only adults over 18 years old can take Tadalafil.

Do NOT take Tadalafil if you:

• Are allergic to Tadalafil or similar drugs.
• Take nitrates for chest pain.
• Have serious heart or liver disease.
• Recently had a heart attack or stroke.
• Have very low or very high blood pressure.
• Have had vision problems due to poor blood flow to the eye.

Talk to your doctor first if you have:

• Blood problems like sickle cell disease, leukemia, or multiple myeloma.
• A bent penis (Peyronie’s disease).
• Liver or kidney problems.
• Heart disease — your doctor will check if sex is safe for you.

Where to Get Tadalafil

Tadalafil is available only with a prescription.

In the NHS (UK), it’s usually prescribed only for men with spinal cord injuries or certain medical conditions.
Otherwise, you may need a private prescription and pay for it yourself.

How and When to Take Tadalafil

• Take the tablet exactly as your doctor or pharmacist tells you.
• Swallow it whole with water — do not crush or break it.
• You can take it with or without food.

Dosage

For Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

• Take one tablet at least 30–45 minutes before sex.
• Do not take more than one tablet per day.
• Usual starting dose: 10 mg (can be increased or decreased by your doctor).
• The effect can last up to 24–36 hours.
• You must be sexually aroused for it to work.

For Enlarged Prostate (BPH)

• Usual dose: 5 mg once a day, taken at the same time each day.
• If you get side effects, your doctor may reduce it to 2.5 mg daily.
• If you have both ED and BPH, the dose is also 5 mg daily.

For Pulmonary Hypertension

• Dose: 40 mg per day (two 20 mg tablets).
• Take them at the same time each morning.
• If you have kidney or liver problems, your doctor may lower the dose.

Missed or Extra Doses

• If you forget a dose for BPH: Take it when you remember.
• If it’s close to your next dose: Skip it and continue as normal.
• Do NOT take two doses at once.
• For pulmonary hypertension: If more than 8 hours have passed, skip the missed dose.

If you take too much, you may feel:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Indigestion
• Stuffy nose
• Blurred vision

👉 Contact your doctor immediately if this happens.

Possible Side Effects

Most people don’t have serious problems.
Common side effects (in more than 1 in 100 people):

• Headache
• Flushed face
• Indigestion
• Stuffy nose
• Muscle or back pain

Serious (rare) side effects — call your doctor or go to a hospital if you have:

• Chest pain during or after sex
• Erection lasting more than 4 hours
• Sudden loss of vision or hearing
• Swelling or rash on your skin or face (possible allergic reaction)

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Tadalafil is sometimes used in women with pulmonary hypertension, but it should not be taken during pregnancy or breastfeeding unless prescribed by a specialist.

Drug Interactions

Tell your doctor if you take:

• Nitrates (for chest pain)
• Other medicines for pulmonary hypertension
• Herbal supplements — some can interact with Tadalafil

How Tadalafil Works

Tadalafil belongs to a group of medicines called PDE5 inhibitors.
It works by relaxing blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow into the penis during sexual arousal.
This helps achieve and maintain an erection.

It also relaxes muscles in the prostate and bladder, helping with urination in men with BPH.
For pulmonary hypertension, it lowers blood pressure in the lungs, making it easier to breathe.

Effectiveness

• Around 6 out of 10 men report improved erections after taking Tadalafil.
  If it doesn’t work well:
• You may have taken it too early or too late before sex.
• The dose may be too low.
• You may not have had enough sexual stimulation.

Tadalafil usually starts working in 30–60 minutes, and the effects can last for up to 36 hours.