Brand Names: Revatio, Viagra

Generic Name: Sildenafil (oral) (sil DEN uh fil)

What is Viagra?

Sildenafil under the name Viagra is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. Another brand of sildenafil is Revatio, which is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension and improve exercise capacity in men and women.

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

How Taken

Viagra comes as a tablet to take it orally. It should be taken as needed about 1 hour before sexual activity. However, Viagra can be taken anytime from 4 hours to 30 minutes before sexual activity. Viagra should not be taken more than once a day. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Warnings/Precautions

Before taking Viagra, tell your doctor if you have had a heart attack, stroke, or life-threatening irregular heartbeats within the last six months; have a history of heart failure; have coronary artery disease; have angina; have high or low blood pressure; have liver problems; have kidney problems; have ever had blood problems, including sickle cell anemia or leukemia; have a bleeding disorder; have a stomach ulcer; have retinitis pigmentosa (an inherited condition of the eye); have a physical deformity of the penis such as Peyronie\'s disease; have a condition that could lead to prolonged and painful erections, such as a tumor of the bone marrow, sickle cell anemia, or leukemia; or are taking another medicine to treat impotence. You may not be able to take Viagra, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Although Viagra is not indicated for use by women, it is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that Viagra is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Women should not take Viagra. It is not known whether Viagra passes into breast milk. If you are over 65 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from Viagra. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of this medication.

Missed Dose

Viagra is used as needed, so you are not likely to miss a dose.

Possible Side Effects

Like all medicines, Viagra can cause some side effects. These effects are usually mild to moderate and usually don\'t last longer than a few hours. Some of these side effects are more likely to occur with higher doses. The most common side effects of Viagra are headache, flushing of the face, and upset stomach. Less common side effects that may occur are temporary changes in color vision (such as trouble telling the difference between blue and green objects or having a blue color tinge to them), eyes being more sensitive to light, or blurred vision. In rare instances, men have reported an erection that lasts many hours. You should call a doctor immediately if you ever have an erection that lasts more than 4 hours. If not treated right away, permanent damage to your penis could occur. Heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeats, and death have been reported rarely in men taking Viagra. Most, but not all, of these men had heart problems before taking this medicine. It is not possible to determine whether these events were directly related to Viagra.

Storage

Keep Viagra out of the reach of children. Keep Viagra in its original container. Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15-30°C (59-86°F).

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention. Symptoms of a Viagra overdose are not known, but are likely to include chest pain, dizziness, an irregular heartbeat, and swelling of the ankles or legs.

More Information

If you take any medicines that contain nitrates – either regularly or as needed – you should never take Viagra. If you take Viagra with any nitrate medicine or recreational drug containing nitrates, your blood pressure could suddenly drop to an unsafe level. You could get dizzy, faint, or even have a heart attack or stroke. Nitrates are found in many prescription medicines that are used to treat angina. Viagra is only for patients with erectile dysfunction. Viagra is not for newborns, children, or women. Do not let anyone else take your Viagra. Viagra must be used only under a doctor\'s supervision.

Important information about Viagra

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

Do not take Viagra more than once a day. Allow 24 hours to pass between doses. Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.

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 (Dilatrate-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 serious decrease in blood pressure, leading to fainting, stroke, or heart attack. During sexual activity, if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw, stop and call your doctor right away. You could be having a serious side effect of Viagra.