Important Information About Viagra

Important Information About Viagra

Viagra (Sildenafil) relaxes muscles and increases blood flow to particular areas of the body.

Treatment with sildenafil under the name Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. Another brand of sildenafil is Revatio, to treat for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and improve exercise capacity in men and women. Do not take Viagra, taking Revatio unless your doctor tells you.

Viagra can not be used in this medication guide for other purposes.

Important information about Viagra

Do not take Viagra if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems. This includes nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, and others), isosorbide dinitrate (high blood pressure-SR, Isordil, Sorbitrate), and isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket). Nitrates are also found in some recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite (“poppers”). Taking Viagra with a nitrate medicine can cause a sudden and significant drop in blood pressure. During sexual activity, stop if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness or tingling in your chest, arms, neck or jaw, and contact your doctor immediately. You could have a serious side effect of Viagra.

Do not take Viagra more than once a day. Wait 24 hours between doses. Ask your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. Prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.

Viagra can decrease blood flow to reduce the optic nerve of the eye, causing sudden vision loss. This resulted in a small number of people taking Viagra, most of whom had heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and those who smoke or have taken place over 50 years. It is not clear whether Viagra is the actual cause of vision loss.

Stop using Viagra and get emergency medical help if you have a sudden loss of vision.

Before taking Viagra

Do not take Viagra if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems. This includes nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, and others), isosorbide dinitrate (high blood pressure-SR, Isordil, Sorbitrate), and isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket). Nitrates are also found in some recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite (“poppers”). Taking Viagra with a nitrate medicine can cause a sudden and significant drop in blood pressure.

To ensure that you can safely take Viagra, tell your doctor if you have one of these other conditions:

•     Heart disease or heart rhythm problems;

•     a recent history (within 6 months) heart failure attack, stroke or heart;

•     high or low blood pressure;

•     Coronary heart disease;

•     Liver disease or kidney disease;

•     a blood cell disorder such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma or leukemia;

•     a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia;

•     a stomach ulcer;

•     Retinitis pigmentosa (an inherited condition of the eye);

•     a physical deformity of the penis (such as Peyronie’s disease), or

•     if you have been told you should not have sexual intercourse for health reasons.

Viagra can decrease blood flow to reduce the optic nerve of the eye, causing sudden vision loss. This resulted in a small number of people taking Viagra, most of whom had heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and those who smoke or have taken place over 50 years. It is not clear whether Viagra is the actual cause of vision loss. Stop using Viagra and get emergency medical help if you have a sudden loss of vision.

FDA pregnancy category B: This medication should not be harmful to an unborn child. Do not use Viagra without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known if sildenafil passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Viagra?

Take Cialis exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in quantities larger or smaller or longer than recommended. Follow the directions on the prescription label.

Viagra is usually taken only when needed, 30 minutes to 1 hour before sexual activity. They can be up to 4 hours before sexual activity. Do not take Viagra more than once a day.

Viagra can help you get an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. An erection will not occur just by taking a pill. Follow your doctor’s instructions.

During sexual activity, stop if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness or tingling in your chest, arms, neck or jaw, and contact your doctor immediately. You could have a serious side effect of Viagra.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Viagra is used as needed, so you’re probably not on a dosing schedule.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Symptoms of overdose may include chest pain, nausea, irregular heartbeat, dizziness or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking Viagra?

Avoid alcohol, which can increase some side effects of Viagra. Avoid using other medicines to treat impotence, such as alprostadil (Caverject, Muse, Edex) or yohimbine (Yocon, Yodoxin, etc.) without first talking to your doctor.

Side effects of Viagra

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat. During sexual activity, stop if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness or tingling in your chest, arms, neck or jaw, and contact your doctor immediately. You could have a serious side effect of Viagra.

Stop using Viagra and call your doctor if you have a serious side effect such as:

•     sudden loss of vision;

•     Ringing in the ears, or sudden loss of hearing;

•     Chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;

•     irregular heartbeat;

•     Swelling in your hands, ankles or feet;

•     Shortness of breath;

•     Changes in vision;

•     Dizziness, fainting or

•     Penile erection is painful or lasts 4 hours or more.

Less serious side effects of Viagra can be:

•     Warmth or redness in your face, neck or chest;

•     stuffy nose;

•     Headache;

•     Memory problems;

•     Upset stomach, or

•     Back pain.

This happens not a complete list of side effects and others. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Viagra?

Viagra not to take similar drugs such as tadalafil (Cialis) or vardenafil (Levitra).

Do not take Viagra if you are also using a nitrate drug for problems of chest pain or heart, including nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, Minitran, Deponit, Transderm- Nitro), isosorbide dinitrate (high blood pressure SR, Isordil, Sorbitrate), and isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket), or drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite (“poppers”).

Before taking Viagra, tell your doctor about all other medications you use for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, or if you use one of the following:

Bosentan (Tracleer);

Cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB);

conivaptan (Vaprisol);

Imatinib (Gleevec);

The isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis);

Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater, Rifamate);

as an antidepressant nefazodone;

an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), dalfopristin / quinupristin (Synercid), erythromycin (EES, EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediazole) or telithromycin (Ketek);

Antifungal medicines such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), miconazole (Orava), or voriconazole (Vfend);

Drugs for blood pressure or heart such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac), doxazosin (Cardura), nicardipine (map), quinidine (Quin-G) or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) or

HIV / AIDS drugs such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), saquinavir (Invirase), ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that may interact with Viagra. Talk to your doctor about all prescription and over-the-counter you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.