Sildenafil, known by its brand name Viagra, is a medication to treat Erectile Dysfunction or ED in men or assigned males at birth (AMAB).
ED is caused by various factors, including physical and psychological causes.
Regardless of the cause, ED occurs when the blood vessels in the penis become narrow. As a result, it reduces blood flow to the penis, making it difficult to get an erection.
But the main question arises here is – How does Sildenafil work to treat ED? What does it do?
It is a Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, which works by increasing blood circulation to the penis.
This increased blood circulation helps a man attain and maintain an erection after sexual stimulation occurs.
Let’s dive deep to know how does Sildenafil work, along with how much time it takes to work and what factors can affect the working of this medicine.
How does Sildenafil work
Sildenafil (Viagra), as mentioned above, is a Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor.
When PDE5 is inhibited, cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) levels increase.
It causes the smooth muscle in the penis to relax and blood vessels to expand.
This process allows more blood to flow through the penis, making it swell and causing an erection.
Once the two tubes of penile tissues fill up with blood, the veins narrow, trapping the blood inside and helping a man maintain an erection.
However, it is essential to note that sexual stimulation is necessary for Sildenafil to work.

