Viagra

Generic name: Sildenafil

Sildenafil tablets

What is sildenafil used for?

SILDENAFIL (Viagra®) is intended for the treatment of male impotence.

What should I inform my doctor about before taking this drug?

If you have any of the conditions mentioned above your health care provider needs to know about them:

• high cholesterol
• kidney or liver disease
• bleeding disorder
• stomach or intestinal ulcer
• cancer
• diabetes
• frequent heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• heart disease, angina, high or low blood pressure, a history of heart attack, or other heart problems
• sickle cell disease
• a history of a stroke
• a history of priapism (long and painful erection), anatomical deformity of the penis or Peyronie's disease
• BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy)
• eye problems, especially those running in the family, such as retinitis pigmentosa, which can be inherited
• allergies to the active ingredient sildenafil or any other products
• pregnancy or breastfeeding

How should I take this medicine?

Sildenafil tablets are oral medicine and need to be taken by mouth. It's important that you follow the directions provided on the label unless otherwise recommended by your health care provider. Viagra has to be taken about an hour before having sex, but not more often than once every 24 hours. If you are taking Viagra you are unlikely to be on a dosing schedule, so if you miss a dose do not take two tablets at once.

What are Viagra storage conditions?

This medicine should be kept out of the reach of children or other people to whom it was not prescribed.

Make sure you do not use this drug after its expiry date to avoid health effects. This medicine is to be stored at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F.

Are there any drug interactions with sildenafil?

Taking sildenafil is not recommended if you are using:

• nitroglycerin-based drugs such as amyl nitrite, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, nitroglycerine. These drugs are commonly prescribed to treat heart or chest pain

The following drugs have also been reported to cause interactions:

alpha blockers, including alfuzosin (UroXatral®), doxazosin (Cardura®), tamsulosin (Flomax®), terazosin (Hytrin®) or prazosin (Minipress®). All these drugs are commonly prescribed for the treatment of an enlarged prostate and high blood pressure.

• seizure medicines, including phenytoin, carbamazepine, and phenobarbital
• depression medication, including drugs intended for the treatment of mood changes (amoxapine, maprotiline, nefazodone, pimozide, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants)
• drugs that belong to the group of antibiotics, including clarithromycin, erythromycin, sparfloxacin, troleandomycin
• fungal infection medicine (fluconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole)
• heart rhythm medicine, such as quinidine, disopyramide, sotalol, dofetilide, procainamide, amiodarone, ibutilide, flecainide, propafenone
• cisapride, methadone, nicardipine, verapamil, chloroquine, pentamidine, pimozide, arsenic trioxide, bosentan
• diltiazem
• rifabutin, rifampin, or rifapentine
• grapefruit juice
• HIV or AIDS medicines

If you are taking any other medicines including herbal supplements, vitamins or minerals, make sure your doctor is informed about it before giving you a prescription. Frequent users of caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, as well as those who smoke need to mention these facts to their health care provider to make sure they benefit from the treatment. Do not start taking any new medicines or stop taking anything before consulting with your doctor. If there are any health conditions you forgot to mention make sure you tell your doctor knows about them.

What should I watch for while taking sildenafil?

In some rare cases this medicine has been reported to cause sudden vision loss in certain patients. Although this is more likely to happen in case the patient smokes or is older than 50, seek emergency medical assistance if you experience this symptom.

Another rare but serious side effect that can lead to a permanent damage of the penis tissues is priapism. This condition is described as a long and painful erection that lasts over 4 hours. Urgent medical assistance is required for such a case.

It's recommended to stop taking sildenafil if you have the following symptoms: nausea, chest and arm pain, dizziness. Such an episode needs to be discussed with your health care provider to make sure your dosage is correct and it's safe for you to continue taking sildenafil.

You must never change your dosage without previously discussing it with your health care provider, otherwise you may develop serious side effects that will render your treatment inefficient. If you think your dosage needs to be adjusted talk to your health care provider.

You still need to use a condom when using sildenafil as this drug does not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV.

What are sildenafil side effects?

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:

• sudden loss of hearing or ringing in ears
• itching and skin rash
• vision changes (some patients report the inability to tell the difference between certain colors, namely green and blue, while others report vision loss, increased light sensitivity and other symptoms).
• trouble breathing, shortness of breath
• chest pain or palpitations
• prolonged erection (lasting longer than 4 hours)

Some less serious side effects that need to be reported to your health care provider only if they change in intensity or become bothersome include:

• diarrhea
• nasal congestion
• headache
• flushing
• indigestion
• dizziness