Strengths, Form, When to Use, and More

Viagra (sildenafil) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The drug comes as a tablet you’ll take by swallowing. It’s usually taken as needed about 1 hour before sexual activity.

The active ingredient in Viagra is sildenafil. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.)
Viagra belongs to a group of drugs called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors.

This article describes the dosage of Viagra, as well as its strengths and how to take it. To learn more about Viagra, see this in-depth article.

This section covers common questions about the dosage of Viagra.

What is Viagra’s form?

You may have heard Viagra described as the “little blue pill.” Viagra comes as a tablet that you swallow. It’s a blue tablet that has a rounded diamond shape.

What strengths does Viagra come in?

Viagra is available in three strengths: 25 milligrams (mg), 50 mg, and 100 mg.

What are the typical dosages of Viagra?

Typically, your doctor will start you on the recommended dosage. Then they’ll adjust your dosage over time to reach the right amount for you. Your doctor will ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect.

The information below describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. But be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Dosage for erectile dysfunction

The recommended dosage of Viagra for erectile dysfunction (ED) is 50 mg, taken as needed about 1 hour before sexual activity. You can take it 30 minutes to 4 hours before sexual activity. And you shouldn’t take more than one dose per day.

After you try the 50-mg dose, you can let your doctor know how your body responded. This includes whether your erectile function improved or if you had any side effects.

Depending on how Viagra worked, your doctor may suggest decreasing your dose to 25 mg or increasing it to 100 mg. Or they may have you continue taking the 50-mg dose.

You’ll continue to take Viagra only as needed. The maximum dosage is once per day.

That said, the drug isn’t meant for daily dosing. If you’re interested in a once-daily treatment for ED, such as tadalafil (Cialis), talk with your doctor.

Maximum Viagra dosage

For most people, the maximum recommended dosage of Viagra is 100 mg once per day.

This dosage may be too high for people who have certain medical conditions or take certain medications. So it’s important not to take more Viagra than your doctor prescribes for you.

If your current dosage isn’t working well for your ED, talk with your doctor about increasing your dosage.

Is Viagra used long term?

Yes, Viagra is typically used as needed for ED. If you and your doctor determine that Viagra is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely use it as long as you have ED.

Dosage adjustments

A lower dosage of Viagra is safer for some people. This is typically due to certain factors, such as having specific medical conditions. These factors include:

• being 65 years or older
• having kidney or liver problems
• taking a certain type of drug called an alpha-blocker that treats high blood pressure or prostate disease, such as tamsulosin (Flomax), doxazosin (Cardura), or prazosin (Minipress)
• taking ritonavir (Norvir), an HIV medication

If any of the above factors apply to you, talk with your doctor. They may adjust your dosage of Viagra.

Get answers to some frequently asked questions about Viagra.

Is Viagra’s dosage based on weight?

No, the dosage of Viagra isn’t based on a person’s weight. Instead, Viagra’s dosage is based on your age, how well your kidneys and liver are working, and how well the drug works for your erectile dysfunction.

Does age affect Viagra dosage? If so, what would the dosage be for a 70-year-old vs. a 30-year-old?

Yes, your age is a factor in what dosage of Viagra is right for you.

As people get older, their heart, liver, and kidneys don’t work as well as they once did. This can cause an older adult’s body to break down drugs slower than a younger adult’s body. As a result, drugs stay longer in the body, which can raise the risk of side effects.

If you’re 65 years or older, your doctor may start you on a lower dosage of Viagra. The typical starting dosage of Viagra for a 70-year-old would be 25 milligrams (mg). For a 30-year-old who has no other medical conditions, the typical starting dosage would be 50 mg.

Regardless of your age, you’ll take your prescribed dose about an hour before sex.

If the prescribed dosage of Viagra works well for you and doesn’t cause bothersome side effects, you’ll likely continue taking it. If a dosage works well but causes bothersome side effects, your doctor may suggest a lower dosage. If a dosage doesn’t work to help you get or maintain an erection, your doctor may increase your dosage.

What would happen if I took a larger dose of Viagra than my doctor prescribed — for example, 150 mg or 200 mg?

You shouldn’t take more Viagra than your doctor prescribes. The maximum recommended dosage of Viagra is 100 mg per day. Taking higher doses of Viagra can increase your chances of having severe side effects, such as:

• dangerously low blood pressure, which may increase your risk for heart attack or stroke
• dizziness
• vision loss
• priapism, a painful erection that lasts longer than 4 hours and could lead to permanent damage to your penis if untreated

The dosage of Viagra you’re prescribed may depend on several factors. These include:

• your age
• the severity of your erectile dysfunction (ED)
• how well Viagra works for your ED
• other medications you take, if any
• other conditions you may have (see “Dosage adjustments” under “What is Viagra’s dosage?”)

You’ll take Viagra by mouth about 1 hour before sexual activity. Viagra tablets may be cut in half, crushed, or swallowed whole.

You can take Viagra with or without food. But the drug may not work as quickly if you take it with foods containing a lot of fat, such as fried foods. In this case, Viagra could take up to an hour longer to start working.

Viagra is a medication that you’ll only take when you need it, about 1 hour before sexual activity. You don’t have to take it regularly for it to be effective.

If you forget to take Viagra an hour before sex, you can take it as soon as you remember. It starts working to improve erectile function as soon as 30 minutes after you take your dose. Its effects usually last about 4 hours.

If you need help remembering to take your dose of Viagra before sex, try setting an alarm or downloading a reminder app. Or ask your partner to remind you to take your dose about an hour before sex.

Do not use more Viagra than your doctor prescribes. Using more than this can lead to serious side effects.

What to do in case you take too much Viagra

Call your doctor right away if you think you’ve taken too much Viagra. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach America’s Poison Centers or use its online resource. But if you have severe symptoms, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.

The sections above describe the typical dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Viagra for you, they will prescribe the dosage that’s right for you.

Remember, you should not change your dosage of Viagra without your doctor’s recommendation. Only take Viagra exactly as prescribed. Talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your current dosage.

Here are some questions you may want to discuss with your doctor:

• How long should I give Viagra to work before my dosage should be increased?
• Should I take a lower dosage of Viagra because of my other medications?
• Can I take Viagra every day?
• Would a higher dosage of Viagra increase my risk for side effects?

To learn more about Viagra, see these articles:

• All About Viagra Oral Tablet
• Viagra Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others
• Side Effects of Viagra: What You Need to Know
• Viagra vs. Levitra: What You Should Know
• All About Viagra’s Dosage

To get information on different conditions and tips for improving your health, subscribe to any of Healthline’s newsletters. You may also want to check out the online communities at Bezzy. It’s a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others.

Q:

What if I want to have sex more than once in 24 hours? Can I take Viagra more than once, as long as I don’t take more than 100 mg in a single day?

Anonymous

A:

No, you should not take Viagra more than once per day. The recommended maximum frequency is once per day, with the maximum dose being 100 milligrams per day. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about how to use Viagra for your condition.

The Healthline Pharmacist TeamAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

Is it Safe to Split a Viagra Tablet?

Photo Credit: pill cutter from @CPOHealth

Disclaimer: We are not encouraging customers to split pills; however, we know at times it can be necessary. We are here to give advice on how to do it safely. Customers should always follow their doctor’s advice and prescription.

When it comes to saving money on prescription medications, many consumers will give just about anything a try. While many doctors and health plans support the practice of splitting approved pills in half, approximately 8% of consumers still do so without their doctor’s consent. While there are many medications that can safely only be split into halves, it should not be split into thirds or quarters or smaller portions. There are some which should never be split—no matter how tight the budget. Doing so, could ultimately land you in the ER for a visit, or worse.

The only way to really know whether or not your doctor approves of splitting your tablets is to ask. However, with the proper prescription in place, you can save yourself a lot of money. Often a prescription for a medication is set, regardless of its dosage. So, if you get a prescription for 100mg Viagra for the same price as your prescribed 50mg Viagra, splitting it in half would result in 2x as many tablets (split in half) for the same price.

Can you safely split Viagra?

Generally speaking, erectile dysfunction medications, including Viagra, can be safely split. However, you do want to cut the pill properly—and a kitchen knife or scissors won’t do. You’ll want to invest in a quality pill cutter

Now, it’s important to note that just because a tablet is scored, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s meant to be split. Sometimes that split is simply for aesthetics. Consumer Reports has a pretty great quick-glance list of pill splitting candidates if you have others you’re wondering about.

Does pill splitting affect performance?

Depending on the pill you try to split, you can definitely impact its performance. Liquid gels, capsules, and tablets that crumble or have coating to protect your stomach should not be split in half for various reasons. Most of the time, it’s because there is no way of knowing whether or not you’re getting the same therapeutic dosage when split. But in the case of the protective coating, you can actually be exposing your stomach lining to harsh medications that can make you sick when not slow-released.

In the case of Viagra, because the medication is infused throughout the whole pill, it is a good candidate for splitting because each half will contain the same amount of medication. Because of this, splitting Viagra shouldn’t result in poor absorption or performance of the medication at all.

Do’s and Don’ts of Pill Splitting

If you’re thinking pill splitting is the right course of action for you, there are some do’s and don’ts you will want to keep top of mind. Failing to do so can cause more than just minor problems. In some cases, it could land you in the hospital. So, please keep all of these tips in mind before getting started:

• DO: Look over medication inserts.

If you’re wondering if your medication is a good candidate for pill splitting, you can look over the medication insert. Medications that are approved for splitting will often have the details right inside the pamphlet. Take the insert with you when you go in to talk to your doctor about your intention/desire to split your pills.

• DO: Consult with your doctor or pharmacist before splitting medications.

Because it can be difficult to determine if a medication can be split, or if you should even be doing it in your own personal case, it’s best to always consult your doctor and/or pharmacist before splitting your medications. They can give you some pro tips, as well as adjust your medication so when you split your tablet, you are still getting the properly prescribed therapeutic dosage.

• DO: Consider your limitations.

For some seniors and anyone with mobility issues in their hands, those with poor eyes, a disability or medical/mental condition that makes it difficult to maneuver tiny pills to be split, it can be dangerous to split tablets on your own. If you believe this is you, it might be wise to forego splitting tablets, or get someone who can help you with it.

• DO: Use a specialty pill splitter to cut your tablets.

These devices are especially designed to split pills without breakage or crumbling and to the accurate dosage per half. When you consult with your doctor, be sure to ask their advice on which pill splitter they would recommend. The website, Best Reviews, has some great comparisons, if you would like a place to start. We also recommend this pill splitter, which can be easily and affordably purchased from CanadaPharmacyOnline.com. Some local retail pharmacies also provide free pill splitters, so be sure to ask when you’re filling your prescription. Please note that pill cutters may have different shapes and sizes.

• DO: Split only one pill at a time, as you need it.

While it might seem like a time saver to go through your whole bottle at once, cutting a pill too soon can actually expose your medication to heat, moisture, and the air; which can cause the drug to deteriorate and lose its effectiveness. Be sure to only cut one tablet at a time and right before you need it. Reseal it back in the bottle it came from and make sure the lid is on tight.

• DO NOT: Assume a scored tablet can be split.

Some tablets are scored for aesthetic reasons only. Remember, do not split any tablet without first discussing the viability with your doctor. They will be able to determine whether or not you, or your medication, are a good fit for pill splitting.

• DO NOT: Split extended release or sustain release tablets.

Any medication that is time-released or dissolves at specific intervals cannot be effectively split in order to maintain their efficacy.

• DO NOT: Split combination medications.

If a tablet has a combination of medications mixed together, they are not good candidates for pill splitting. This is because there is no guarantee splitting the tablet will give you the correct split of active ingredients.

• DO NOT: Split coated tablets.

Coated tablets are specifically designed to be easier to swallow and gentler on your stomach. If you split open one of these pills, it leaves the severed edge open, nullifying the coating and making it more difficult to swallow and potentially harming your digestive system.

• DO NOT: Split capsules.

Capsuled medications have powder inside and cannot be split safely to maintain their efficacy and therapeutic dosage.

Order from Canada Pharmacy Online…

If you’ve talked to your doctor about pill splitting and they have prescribed a higher dosage (or if you need a lower dosage than the minimum), Canada Pharmacy Online is here to fill your prescription to make it even more affordable. In the case of Viagra, our pharmacy carries a variety of dosages in the name brand medication, as well as its generic equivalent, sildenafil. Here are some things you should know about filling your prescription with us:

• We will need a prescription from your doctor for the higher dose

• You can order a maximum quantity of a three-month supply, depending on the Rx

Pill splitting can certainly be a cost-saving method, when used appropriately, and under your doctor or pharmacist’s direction. Viagra and other erectile dysfunction medications are typically suitable for splitting, as long as you don’t have a medical history that makes it questionable. If you want to get started with pill splitting a higher dose of Viagra, follow your doctor’s advice so you don’t overdose or underdose on the active ingredient. You can fill or refill your Viagra (and other prescriptions) with our easy online ordering system or by reaching out to us at 1-866-920-3784.

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Another problem about Viagra: alex_levitas — LiveJournal

? Category:

• Medicine
• Cancel milligram. The price of the tablets was the same. Of course, many men asked the doctor to give them a dosage of 100 milligrams and then cut each pill in half.

  Of course, the company tried in every possible way to counteract this. As far as I know, even the non-traditional tablet shape itself (diamond instead of a circle) was also developed in order to prevent tablets from being cut. But this was not enough.

  Try to come up with some ideas that could help the company solve this problem. Let’s immediately rule out the price decision as obvious – and think about other options.

  Comments are hidden, but will be revealed later.

  Upd: Reply here, comments expanded and no longer hidden.

  I invite you to my VIP-seminar “Explosive Profit Growth”, which takes place only once a year. If you want to double your bottom line in 90 days or less, click here and read the workshop description.

  P.P.S. You can also take a look at the schedule of my upcoming seminars

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Is it possible to split pills without risk in half, how to split film-coated pills

Daniil Davydov

medical journalist

Author profile

This is true, but there are nuances.

There are several groups of tablets that must not be divided. Other pills can be divided – but it is important to do it correctly.

Go see a doctor

Our articles are written with love for evidence-based medicine. We refer to authoritative sources and go to doctors with a good reputation for comments. But remember: the responsibility for your health lies with you and your doctor. We don’t write prescriptions, we give recommendations. Relying on our point of view or not is up to you.

What you need to know about tablets

Like all other forms of medicine, tablets consist of a carefully measured dose of an active ingredient that has a biological effect on the body, and excipients that give the drug volume.

What Drugs Are Made of – Bulletin of the Australian Department of Health

What are Drug Delivery Systems – Bulletin of the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

Excipients are not only dyes, flavors, sweeteners and stabilizers that protect the drug from oxidation and degradation, but also drug delivery vehicles that allow you to control the properties of the drug.

Delivery devices are either incorporated into the tablet itself or the contents of the capsule, or form its shell. They determine exactly where the tablet will dissolve – in the stomach or in the intestines, and the speed with which it will do it. The delivery method used in a particular tablet or capsule determines whether it can be divided into parts or not.

What pills that can be divided look like

All pills can be roughly divided into two groups: those that can be divided without loss of effectiveness, and those that, after division, become less effective or even dangerous. Sometimes they can be distinguished by their appearance, but you should not count on it.

Points to consider when splitting pills – British Ministry of Health Bulletin

What should look like pills that can be split – FDAPDF guidelines, 55.6 KB

For example, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that drug companies leave tips for patients. Tablets that can be divided, the department advises making flattened and notching them to make it easier to gently break them in half.

However, no one requires strict compliance with these rules from drug manufacturers either in our country or abroad. Therefore, in the pharmacy you can find tablets with notches that are not worth dividing, and tablets without notches that can be divided.

Tablets that can be divided, usually white, most often uncoated and scored. Source: Triff / Shutterstock

Which pills can not be divided

In order not to get confused, it makes sense to focus not on the appearance of the pill, but on the instructions. There are only two types of tablets and capsules that most pharmacological experts advise against separating.

Enteric-coated tablets and capsules . This is a shell that does not allow the tablet to dissolve in the stomach, so the drug is absorbed only in the intestines. Such coverage:

1. Protects drugs that become unstable in acidic gastric juices. These are, for example, the antibiotic erythromycin and the digestive enzyme pancreatin. If you divide the pills from this group into parts, they will either work weaker than they should, or they will not work at all.
2. Protects drugs working in the stomach from premature activation. For example, proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole, pantoprazole, and esomeprazole are activated in an acidic environment. But for some people with digestive disorders, acidic stomach juices can get into the mouth or into the esophagus. The coating prevents the drugs from “turning on” in the mouth or esophagus, where they are of no use. If it is destroyed, the medicine will work worse.
3. Protects the stomach from the harmful effects of the drug.

Examples of Pills Not to be Divided – New Zealand Guidelines for Elderly PatientsPDF 301KB

What is Enteric Coating – An International Manual for Drug Manufacturers

Things to Know When Prescribing a Proton Pump Inhibitor – British Medical Journal

9 0015 Peptic ulcer and nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs – Australian Prescription Medicines Magazine

These are primarily non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that damage the gastric mucosa when taken regularly. Some of these drugs, such as aspirin, are enteric-coated to dissolve in the intestines. If you split the pill, the aspirin will still work, but the coating will no longer protect the stomach. After taking a divided tablet, you may experience the same side effects as when taking uncoated aspirin, i.e. nausea or heartburn.

According to the Russian pharmacological standard, in the instructions for the drug in the “Dose form” section, the manufacturer must write that the tablet or capsule is coated with a shell that prevents the drug from dissolving in the stomach. Typically, manufacturers write that tablets or capsules are enteric-coated or enteric-coated.

/fuflomizin-ili-net/

Do you know which drugs are not worth spending money on?

The hint can also be encrypted in the appearance of the drug. As a rule, such tablets are round or oval in shape, without notches, with a gleaming shell of white, orange, yellow or red. Both capsules and tablets can have letters and numbers.

Modified release tablets. Medicines have different characteristics of action. This means that the active ingredient from different tablets can be released:

1. immediately – tablets begin to act as soon as they dissolve;
2. extended release – tablets dissolve gradually, gradually releasing the active ingredient. As a result, such a drug lasts longer than an immediate release drug;
3. slow – tablets begin to dissolve after a specified time after a person has drunk them, and then they work as prolonged medicines. That is, a person can take a pill at night so that it starts working in the morning, even before he wakes up, and works until the evening.

What are the characteristics of the action of drugs – the national standard of the Russian Federation GOST R ISO 11239-2014

Another drug may have a modified effect. For example, the first dose of a drug may be released immediately, while the second dose may be released after some time.

All tablets, except those from which the active ingredient is released immediately, are called modified release drugs. If you divide such medicines into parts, all their advantages are lost.

For example, the prolonged form of ibuprofen “Brufen SR” works up to 24 hours. If you split this pill, it will work like regular ibuprofen immediate release. And since in preparations with prolonged and delayed action the concentration of the active substance is usually higher than in immediate-release preparations, the risk of overdose arises even if you take half a tablet.

What can the splitting of a pill with modified action lead to – French scientific journal “Recipe”

In the instructions for the drug in the section “Dosage form”, the manufacturer must indicate the characteristics of the drug. For example, in the instructions for “Brufen SR” it is written that these are prolonged release tablets.

Modified-release drugs are similar in appearance to enteric tablets – they are also usually round or oval, without notches, with shiny multi-colored shells.

Which tablets can be divided

If the characteristic of action is not indicated in the “Dose form” section, this is not a modified release drug. Even if it says that these are film-coated tablets, such tablets can still be divided into parts. But it is important to consider that there are several important nuances in the separation of tablets.

Not all tablets are easy to split exactly in half. This is the reason doctors all over the world don’t like it too much when patients share medicines. After all, if the contents of the capsule wake up or the tablet breaks unevenly, there is a risk that the patient will receive either too high or too low a dose of the drug.

Why splitting pills is not a good idea – bulletin on the international site for pharmacists To avoid this, those who can afford it are advised to buy tablets and capsules immediately in the dosage prescribed by the doctor.

Separation of some tablets produces an acrid powder. Tablet is a compressed powder intended for oral administration. Chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, and hormone pills break down into a corrosive powder. If it gets on hands or eyes, it can cause irritation. At the same time, separation does not affect the medicinal properties of these drugs.

Why Hormones, Steroids, Antibiotics and Cytostatics Shouldn’t Be Divided – Clinical Guidelines from the Greater Manchester Medicines Management GroupPDF, 302KB

Sugar or film-coated tablets will become unpalatable. For example, the prescription drug Midantan, which is used to treat Parkinson’s disease, becomes bitter after division. But separation does not affect its effectiveness.

How to divide tablets correctly

There are situations when you cannot do without dividing a tablet. For example, some patients may require the antidepressant Mirtazapine at a dosage that is less than the standard minimum dose. And if the medicine is expensive and needs to be taken for a long time, some patients may decide to save money.