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Levitra
Generic Name: Vardenafil
Use
Levitra acts in the same way as Viagra, by blocking an enzyme called phosphodiesterase-5,
or PDE-5. This helps the smooth muscles in the penis to relax, which effectively
increases blood flow. Levitra will not give a man an erection spontaneously,
it will only help a man to get an erection if he is sexually stimulated.
Dosage
Take as directed by your doctor. Your doctor will prescribe the right dosage
for you. Levitra usually works within 25-60 minutes, although some men will
achieve an erection within 15 minutes. Within a 5 hour period after taking the
tablet an erection should occur in response to sexual stimulation.
LEVITRA can cause your blood pressure to drop suddenly to an unsafe level if it is taken with certain other medicines. With a sudden drop in blood pressure, you could get dizzy, faint, or have a heart attack or stroke.
Do not take LEVITRA if you:
- take any medicines called “nitrates.”
- use recreational drugs called “poppers” like amyl nitrate and butyl nitrate. (See “Who Should Not Take LEVITRA?”)
Side effects
The most commonly reported side effects were headache, flushing, dyspepsia (indigestion),
and nasal congestion.
Precautions
Patients who are currently taking medicines containing nitrates should not take
Levitra. As with patients with a known hypersensitivity to any component of
the drug, men with cardiac disease of a severity where sex is inadvisable, recent
stroke, heart attack or low blood pressure, unstable angina or angina occurring
during sexual intercourse, aged over 75 years and taking ritonavir, indanvir,
ketoconazole or itraconazole (oral form). Levitra should not be taken with other
erectile dysfunction treatments. Levitra should be used with caution in patients
with an abnormally formed penis, diseases that might result in prolonged erections
such as sickle cell anaemia, multiple myeloma, or leukaemia. Use with caution
if you have a history or postural hypotension, or severe kidney or liver disease.
Be aware of how this drug affects you before operating machinery or driving
a vehicle.
WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE LEVITRA?
Do not take LEVITRA if you
* take any medicines called “nitrates” (See “What important information should you know about LEVITRA?”). Nitrates are commonly used to treat angina. Angina is a symptom of heart disease and can cause pain in your chest, jaw, or down your arm.
o Medicines called nitrates include nitroglycerin that is found in tablets, sprays, ointments, pastes, or patches. Nitrates can also be found in other medicines such as isosorbide dinitrate or isosorbide mononitrate. Some recreational drugs called “poppers” also contain nitrates, such as amyl nitrate and butyl nitrate. Do not use LEVITRA if you are using these drugs. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if any of your medicines are nitrates.
* you have been told by your healthcare provider to not have sexual activity because of health problems. Sexual activity can put an extra strain on your heart, especially if your heart is already weak from a heart attack or heart disease.
* are allergic to LEVITRA or any of its ingredients. The active ingredient in LEVITRA is called vardenafil. See the end of this leaflet for a complete list of ingredients.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DISCUSS WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING LEVITRA? Before taking LEVITRA, tell your doctor about all your medical problems, including if you:
* have heart problems such as angina, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, or have had a heart attack. Ask your doctor if it is safe for you to have sexual activity.
* have low blood pressure or have high blood pressure that is not controlled
* have had a stroke
* or any family members have a rare heart condition known as prolongation of the QT interval (long QT syndrome)
* have liver problems
* have kidney problems and require dialysis
* have retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic (runs in families) eye disease
* have ever had severe vision loss, or if you have an eye condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION)
* have stomach ulcers
* have a bleeding problem
* have a deformed penis shape or Peyronie's disease
* have had an erection that lasted more than 4 hours
* have blood cell problems such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia
CAN OTHER MEDICATIONS AFFECT LEVITRA?
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. LEVITRA and other medicines may affect each other.
Always check with your doctor before starting or stopping any medicines. Especially tell your doctor if you take any of the following:
* medicines called nitrates (See “What important information should you know about LEVITRA?”)
* medicines called alpha-blockers. These include Hytrin ® (terazosin HCl), Flomax ® (tamsulosin HCl), Cardura ® (doxazosin mesylate), Minipress ® (prazosin HCl) or Uroxatral ® (alfuzosin HCl). Alpha-blockers are sometimes prescribed for prostate problems or high blood pressure. In some patients the use of PDE5 inhibitor drugs, including LEVITRA, with alpha-blockers can lower blood pressure significantly leading to fainting. You should contact the prescribing physician if alpha-blockers or other drugs that lower blood pressure are prescribed by another healthcare provider.
o medicines that treat abnormal heartbeat. These include quinidine, procainamide, amiodarone and sotalol.
* ritonavir (Norvir ®) or indinavir sulfate (Crixivan ®), saquinavir (Fortavase® or Invirase ®) or atazanavir (Reyataz ®)
* ketoconazole or itraconazole (such as Nizoral ® or Sporanox ®)
* erythromycin or clarithromycin
* other medicines or treatments for ED
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