Only your doctor can decide if Viagra is right for you. Viagra can cause mild, temporary lowering of your blood pressure. You will need to have a thorough medical exam to diagnose your erectile dysfunction and to find out if you can safely take Viagra alone or with your other medicines. Your doctor should determine if your heart is healthy enough to handle the extra strain of having sex.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you:
- Have ever had any heart problems (e.g., angina, chest pain, heart failure, irregular heart beats, heart attack or narrowing of the aortic valve)
- Have ever had a stroke
- Have low or high blood pressure
- Have ever had severe vision loss
- Have a rare inherited eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa
- Have ever had any kidney problems
- Have ever had any liver problems
- Have ever had any blood problems, including sickle cell anemia or leukemia
- Are allergic to sildenafil or any of the other ingredients of Viagra tablets
- Have a deformed penis, Peyronie’s disease, or ever had an erection that lasted more than 4 hours
- Have stomach ulcers or any types of bleeding problems
- Are taking any other medicines
Viagra is a prescription medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Viagra is available in the following strengths: 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg.
Active ingredient: sildenafil citrate.
Inactive ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose, anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, hypromelloses, titanium dioxide, lactose, triacetin, FD&C Blue No. 2, aluminum oxide.
Take Viagra about one hour before you plan to have sex. Beginning in about 30 minutes and for up to 4 hours, Viagra can help you get an erection if you are sexually excited. If you take Viagra after a high-fat meal (such as a cheeseburger and french fries), the medicine may take a little longer to start working. Viagra can help you get an erection when you are sexually excited. You will not get an erection just by taking the pill.
Viagra comes in different doses (25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg). If you do not get the results you expect, talk with your doctor. You and your doctor can determine the dose that works best for you.
- Do not take more Viagra than your doctor prescribes.
- If you think you need a larger dose of Viagra, check with your doctor.
- Viagra should not be taken more than once a day.
Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of Viagra in certain circumstances. For example:
- If you are older than age 65, or have serious liver or kidney problems, your doctor may start you at the lowest dose (25 mg) of Viagra.
- If you are taking protease inhibitors, such as for the treatment of HIV, your doctor may recommend a 25 mg dose and may limit you to a maximum single dose of 25 mg of Viagra in a 48 hour period.
- If you have prostate problems or high blood pressure for which you take medicines called alpha blockers, your doctor may start you on a lower dose of Viagra.
Some medicines can change the way Viagra works. Tell your doctor about any medicines you are taking. Do not start or stop taking any medicines before checking with your doctor or pharmacist. This includes prescription and nonprescription medicines or remedies:
- Remember, Viagra should never be used with medicines that contain nitrates.
- If you are taking medicines called alpha-blockers for the treatment of high blood pressure or prostate problems, your blood pressure could suddenly drop. You could get dizzy or faint.
- If you are taking a protease inhibitor, your dose may be adjusted.
- Viagra should not be used with any other medical treatments that cause erections. These treatments include pills, medicines that are injected or inserted into the penis, implants or vacuum pumps.
- Viagra contains sildenafil, which is the same medicine found in another drug called Revatio. Revatio is used to treat a rare disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension. Viagra should not be used with Revatio.
Viagra is not indicated for use in newborns, children, or women.
Viagra (sildenafil) is an oral medication used primarily to treat erectile dysfunction in men. It is part of a a class of medications called PDE5 inhibitors. It works by affecting smooth muscle cells allowing for increased blood flow to the penis. When sold under the name Revatio, sildenafil is used to improve the ability to exercise in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Only your doctor can decide if Viagra is right for you. Viagra can cause mild, temporary lowering of your blood pressure. You will need to have a thorough medical exam to diagnose your erectile dysfunction and to find out if you can safely take Viagra alone or with your other medicines. Your doctor should determine if your heart is healthy enough to handle the extra strain of having sex.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you:
- have ever had any heart problems (e.g., angina, chest pain, heart failure, irregular heart beats, heart attack or narrowing of the aortic valve)
- have ever had a stroke
- have low or high blood pressure
- have ever had severe vision loss
- have a rare inherited eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa
- have ever had any kidney problems
- have ever had any liver problems
- have ever had any blood problems, including sickle cell anemia or leukemia
- are allergic to sildenafil or any of the other ingredients of Viagra tablets
- have a deformed penis, Peyronie’s disease, or ever had an erection that lasted more than 4 hours
- have stomach ulcers or any types of bleeding problems
- are taking any other medicines
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Viagra and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.
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 taking PDE5 inhibitors (oral erectile dysfunction medicines, including Viagra) reported a sudden decrease or loss of vision in one or both eyes. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to these medicines, to other factors such as high blood pressure or diabetes, or to a combination of these. If you experience sudden decrease or loss of vision, stop taking PDE5 inhibitors, including Viagra, and call a doctor right away.
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.
Sudden loss or decrease in hearing, sometimes with ringing in the ears and dizziness, has been rarely reported in people taking Viagra. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to Viagra, to other diseases or medications, to other factors, or to a combination of factors. If you experience these symptoms, stop taking Viagra and contact a doctor right away.
Heart attack, stroke, irregular heart beats, 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.
Viagra may cause other side effects besides those listed on this sheet. If you want more information or develop any side effects or symptoms you are concerned about, call your doctor.
Viagra is a pill used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. It can help many men who have erectile dysfunction get and keep an erection when they become sexually excited (stimulated).
You will not get an erection just by taking this medicine. Viagra helps a man with erectile dysfunction get an erection only when he is sexually excited.
Viagra is not indicated for use in newborns, children, or women.
Keep Viagra out of the reach of children. Keep Viagra in its original container. Store at room temperature away from excessive heat or moisture.
Take Viagra about one hour before you plan to have sex. Beginning in about 30 minutes and for up to 4 hours, Viagra can help you get an erection if you are sexually excited. If you take Viagra after a high-fat meal (such as a cheeseburger and french fries), the medicine may take a little longer to start working. Viagra can help you get an erection when you are sexually excited. You will not get an erection just by taking the pill.
Ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity.
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 (chest pain due to heart disease) such as:
- nitroglycerin (sprays, ointments, skin patches or pastes, and tablets that are swallowed or dissolved in the mouth)
- isosorbide mononitrate and isosorbide dinitrate (tablets that are swallowed, chewed, or dissolved in the mouth)
Nitrates are also found in recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite (“poppers”). If you are not sure if any of your medicines contain nitrates, or if you do not understand what nitrates are, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
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.