Levitra

Generic name: Vardenafil

Vardenafil tablets

What are vardenafil tablets?

VARDENAFIL (Levitra®) is used to treat erection problems in men.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• anatomical deformity of the penis, Peyronie's disease, or ever had an erection that lasted more than 4 hours
• bleeding disorder
• 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
• high cholesterol
• HIV infection
• kidney disease
• liver disease
• sickle cell disease
• stroke
• stomach or intestinal ulcers
• eye or vision problems
• an unusual reaction to vardenafil, medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding

How should this medicine be used?

Take vardenafil tablets by mouth with or without food. Follow the directions on the prescription label. The dose is usually taken about 1 hour before sexual activity. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. Do not take double or extra doses.

At this time, this medicine is not for use in children.

What if I miss a dose?

This does not apply. However, do not take double or extra doses.

What drug(s) may interact with Vardenafil?

Do not take vardenafil if you are taking the following medications:

.nitroglycerin-type drugs for the heart or chest pain such as amyl nitrite, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, nitroglycerin, even if these are only taken occasionally. This includes some recreational drugs called 'poppers' which also contain amyl nitrate and butyl nitrate.

Vardenafil may also interact with the following medications:

.alpha blockers such as alfuzosin (UroXatral®), doxazosin (Cardura®), prazosin (Minipress®), tamsulosin (Flomax®), or terazosin (Hytrin®), used to treat high blood pressure or an enlarged prostate.

• arsenic trioxide
• bosentan
• certain antibiotics such as clarithromycin, erythromycin, sparfloxacin, troleandomycin
• certain medicines used for seizures such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, and phenobarbital
• certain medicines for the treatment of HIV infection or AIDS
• certain medicines to control the heart rhythm (e.g., amiodarone, disopyramide, dofetilide, flecainide, ibutilide, quinidine, procainamide, propafenone, sotalol)
• chloroquine
• cisapride
• diltiazem
• grapefruit juice
• medicines for fungal infections (fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole)
• methadone
• nicardipine
• pentamidine
• pimozide
• rifabutin, rifampin, or rifapentine
• some medicines for treating depression or mood problems (amoxapine, maprotiline, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, nefazodone, pimozide, phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants)
• verapamil

Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.

What side effects may I notice from receiving Vardenafil?

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

• back pain
• changes in hearing such as loss of hearing or ringing in ears
• changes in vision such as loss of vision, blurred vision, eyes being more sensitive to light, or trouble telling the difference between blue and green objects or objects having a blue color tinge to them
• chest pain or palpitations
• difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
• dizziness
• eyelid swelling
• muscle aches
• prolonged erection (lasting longer than 4 hours)
• skin rash, itching

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

• flushing
• headache
• indigestion
• nausea
• stuffy nose

What should I watch for while taking Vardenafil?

If you notice any changes in your vision while taking this drug, notify your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible. Stop using vardenafil right away if you have a loss of sight in one or both eyes. Contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Contact your physician immediately if the erection lasts longer than 4 hours or if it becomes painful. This may be a sign of priapism and must be treated immediately to prevent permanent damage.

If you experience symptoms of nausea, dizziness, chest pain or arm pain upon initiation of sexual activity after vardenafil use, you should refrain from further activity and should discuss the episode with your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible.

Do not change the dose of your medication. Please call your prescriber or health care professional to determine if your dose needs to be reevaluated.

Using vardenafil does not protect you or your partner against HIV infection (the virus that causes AIDS) or other sexually transmitted diseases.

Where can I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open.

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.