Avanafil
Showing all 2 results
Showing all 2 results
Avanafil is the newest and fastest of the PDE5 inhibitors
Marketed as Spedra in Europe and Stendra in the United States, avanafil was developed after sildenafil and tadalafil with two specific improvements in mind: faster onset and greater selectivity. This section holds 2 lines from £43 to £115.
Onset
Avanafil works in around fifteen minutes, against roughly thirty to sixty for sildenafil. For anyone who finds planning around a longer window awkward, that is the practical advantage and the main reason to choose it.
Duration is moderate — longer than sildenafil, far shorter than tadalafil’s extended window.
Selectivity is the more interesting difference
PDE5 inhibitors act on an enzyme found in several tissues, and side effects largely come from action outside the intended one. Sildenafil’s characteristic blue-tinted vision comes from activity at PDE6 in the retina; the muscle aches associated with tadalafil are attributed to PDE11.
Avanafil is considerably more selective for PDE5, so the visual disturbances are markedly less common and the muscular effects largely absent. Headache and flushing remain, since those follow from the intended vasodilation rather than from off-target activity.
Choosing between the three
| Compound | Onset | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avanafil | ~15 minutes | Moderate |
| Sildenafil | 30–60 minutes | 4–6 hours |
| Tadalafil | 30–45 minutes | Up to 36 hours |
None of them affects desire. Where low desire rather than a mechanical difficulty is the issue, PT-141 works on a different pathway entirely.
The absolute contraindication
No PDE5 inhibitor may be combined with nitrates. The combination can cause a severe and dangerous drop in blood pressure, and this applies to avanafil as much as to the older drugs despite its improved selectivity. Avanafil is a prescription-only medicine in the UK and nothing here is medical advice.
Why so few lines
Avanafil is newer and still under patent protection in more markets than sildenafil or tadalafil, so generic supply is thinner and prices sit higher. That is the practical reason this section holds two products where the older compounds have dozens.
Food and alcohol
Absorption is less affected by food than sildenafil’s, which is a genuine convenience — sildenafil taken after a heavy meal works slowly and unpredictably. Alcohol remains a complication for all of them, both directly and through its effect on blood pressure alongside a vasodilator.
Dosing
It is available in several strengths and the usual clinical approach is to start low and adjust. As with the other PDE5 inhibitors, sexual stimulation is still required — none of these produce an effect on their own.
Frequently asked questions
How fast does avanafil work?
Around fifteen minutes, the quickest of the PDE5 inhibitors.
Why fewer visual side effects?
It is far more selective for PDE5 over PDE6, the retinal enzyme responsible for sildenafil’s blue tint.
Does it last as long as tadalafil?
No. Tadalafil’s window extends up to 36 hours; avanafil’s is moderate.
Can it be taken with nitrates?
Never. The combination can cause a dangerous fall in blood pressure.
Does it increase desire?
No. No PDE5 inhibitor does — they act on blood flow, not on desire.
