Side Effects of Tadalafil: An Introduction
As with any medicine, there are possible side effects with
Tadalafil (
Cialis®). However, not everyone who takes tadalafil will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate tadalafil well. When people do develop tadalafil side effects, in most cases they are minor, meaning they require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider. In previous research studies, up to 3.1 percent of people on tadalafil stopped taking their medicine because of side effects.
(The problems listed here are not a complete list of side effects reported with tadalafil. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list with you. Please note that this article refers specifically to Cialis, the original tadalafil product that is approved for treating
erectile dysfunction. For information about side effects of the tadalafil product used to treat pulmonary arterial
hypertension [
Adcirca®], please see
Adcirca Side Effects.)
Common Tadalafil Side Effects
Tadalafil has been studied extensively in clinical trials, with over 5,700 people having been evaluated. In these studies, side effects are always documented. Based on these studies, common tadalafil side effects, occurring in more than 2 percent of people, include:
- Headache -- up to 15 percent of people
- Indigestion, known as dyspepsia -- up to 10 percent of people
- Back pain -- up to 6 percent of people
- Facial flushing -- up to 3 percent of people
- Nasal congestion -- up to 4 percent of people
- Muscle pain (known as myalgia) -- up to 4 percent of people
- Pain in the arms or legs -- up to 3 percent of people.