Selective PDE5 inhibitor

Vardenafil: Complete ED Medication Guide

A more selective PDE5 inhibitor — similar efficacy to sildenafil but without the color vision side effects, and with a slightly longer duration.

Onset: ~30 minutes Duration: Up to 8 hours

Vardenafil

Generic available

Brand name: Levitra / Staxyn  ·  Class: Selective PDE5 inhibitor

Onset~30 minutes
DurationUp to 8 hours

How Vardenafil Works

Vardenafil inhibits PDE5 with greater selectivity than sildenafil. Critically, it does not significantly inhibit PDE6, the enzyme involved in phototransduction in the retina. This selectivity is why vardenafil does not cause the blue-green color vision disturbances that some sildenafil users experience.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • No PDE6 inhibition — no color vision effects
  • 8-hour duration — longer than sildenafil's 4–6 hours
  • Nearly identical efficacy to sildenafil
  • Available in chewable form from select providers
Cons
  • Less extensively studied than sildenafil or tadalafil
  • Not available from as many telehealth providers
  • Can be more expensive than generic sildenafil

Common Doses

8mg, 8.5mg, 11.2mg (chewable) · standard oral doses vary by provider

Found In

MEDVi Quad (only combination formula reviewed)
Vardenafil is one of three PDE5 inhibitors in MEDVi Quad — its selective profile complements sildenafil's broader PDE inhibition by adding fast-acting coverage without color vision effects.
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