Vardenafil

Vardenafil dosage forms & strength

The dose required varies from person to person and you should only take the dose prescribed to you. Vardenafil comes in 5mg, 10mg or 20mg tablets. Our doctors will be able to prescribe the right amount of medication for you.

Who can take vardenafil?

You should always speak to your doctor before using vardenafil if:

• you have a problem with the valves in your heart (valvular heart disease)
• you have a heart condition such as cardiomyopathy
• you have had any surgery to correct or improve blood flow to your heart
• you have previously had high blood pressure that is now under control
• you have ever had a prolonged erection (priapism) that lasted more than 4 hours or any health condition that could cause priapism, such as sickle cell anaemia (abnormal red blood cells), leukaemia (cancer of the blood) or multiple myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow)
• you have a stomach ulcer or a bleeding disorder (haemophilia)
• you have been diagnosed with serious liver or kidney problems

Vardenafil contraindications

Vardenafil SHOULD NOT be taken if:

• you are already taking medication for erectile dysfunction, which include any topical creams or ointments
• you have previously had an allergic reaction to it
• you have been advised by your doctor to avoid sexual activity
• you have recently been diagnosed with heart problems, have had a heart attack or a stroke
• you have low blood pressure or high blood pressure that is not well controlled
• you suffer from certain inherited eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa or optic neuropathy
• you have any disease or deformity of the penis (e.g. Peyronie’s disease)
• you are a woman
• you are under 18 years of age

Vardenafil interactions

Vardenafil can interact with other drugs. DO NOT take vardenafil if you are already taking the following:

• medicines for chest pain (‘angina’) or heart failure, such as nitrates (e.g. glyceryl trinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, isosorbide dinitrate) or nitric acid donors (e.g. amyl nitrate or “poppers”, nicorandil, sodium nitroprusside). Vardenafil can cause a substantial drop in blood pressure when taken in combination with these medicines.
• medicines for arterial pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs due to blood clots), such as riociguat (or other drugs that belong the same group called guanylate cyclase stimulators).
• a medicine called ritonavir for HIV infection

If you are already taking any of the following medicines, check with us or your GP before using vardenafil:

• alpha-blockers (e.g. alfuzosin, doxazosin or tamsulosin) to treat urinary problems due to an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or high blood pressure
• protease inhibitors used to treat HIV infection
• cimetidine used to treat heart burn
• itraconazole or ketoconazole used to treat fungal infections
• erythromycin or clarithromycin, antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections.

Alcohol and vardenafil

Drinking alcohol with vardenafil may reduce the effectiveness of the drug and could make getting an erection more difficult. It is therefore best to avoid alcohol if you intend to use vardenafil that day.

Driving and using machines

Vardenafil has been reported by some men to cause dizziness and can affect your vision, so it is important not to drive or use machinery if you experience these side effects. We recommend not driving after taking vardenafil at all until you have taken a few doses and are comfortable with the way your body reacts to the medication.

How to take vardenafil

You should take one tablet, swallowed whole with a little water.

What to expect when taking vardenafil

Vardenafil will help you get and maintain an erection, but you will need to be sexually aroused first. To help, you and your partner should engage in some foreplay to give the tablet time to work and to help you become sexually stimulated. Vardenafil takes between 25 to 60 minutes to take effect. It’s important to be relaxed.

Vardenafil, as with all other erectile dysfunction medications may not work the first time you try to use it. For some men the tablets are more effective after the second dose. If it doesn’t work for you first time, wait 24 hours and try again. Remember, you can’t take more than 1 tablet a day. If it has been some time since you last had an erection, it may take your body a few doses before you start to respond and feel the benefits.

If you feel the drug is not working for you or is too weak, you should contact us, and our doctors may be able to recommend a higher dose. Never take more than one tablet a day as you increase the risk of experiencing serious side effects.

If you often experience breathlessness or any chest pain when undertaking light to moderate exercise you should check with your doctor before taking vardenafil, as sexual activity can put further strain on the heart.

Possible side effects of vardenafil:

As with all medications, side effects are possible. It’s important to be aware of these side effects before taking vardenafil. More serious side effects include:

• An allergic reaction – you’ll experience sudden wheezing, difficulty breathing, dizziness or swelling of the eyelids, face, lips or throat;
• Chest pain – this is uncommon, but if it occurs during or after sex, you should get into a comfortable sitting position, breathe deeply and try to relax. DO NOT take nitrates to treat your chest pain.
• A sudden decrease in vision or a sudden loss of vision, ringing in your ears, a severe skin rash or seizures
• An erection that lasts longer than four hours

You should stop taking vardenafil immediately if you experience any of the above symptoms.

The most common side effects include, headache, nausea, a sudden feeling of heat in your upper body, indigestion, visual disturbances, dizziness or a stuffy nose. These side effects are typically mild to moderate and will not last for a long time.

Rarely reported side effects include fainting, dry nose, irritability, stroke, heart attack, irregular heartbeat, sudden decrease or loss of hearing. Visual changes, although rare, have also been reported and include bleeding at the back of the eye, double vision, swelling of the eyes or eyelids, seeing spots in your field of vision or halos around lights, discolouration of the whites of the eye and dilation of the pupils. If you experience any of the above symptoms seek medical assistance.

In very rare cases, unstable angina and sudden death have been reported. Most of the men who experienced these adverse effects had underlying heart problems. You must disclose any known medical issues and your ED symptoms during the online consultation process, so one of our doctors may determine if vardenafil is right for you.

Vardenafil storage and expiration

Vardenafil tablets should always be kept in the pouches or vial provided, and should only be removed when you are taking your next dose. The tablets should be stored in a clean, dry place at room temperature. Do not share your medicine with anyone else. Always keep your medication out of the sight and reach of children.

Vardenafil tablets should never be used past the expiry date. This is always the last day of the month shown on the packaging, after which you should discard it. The tablets should not be discarded by flushing them down the toilet or emptying them down the drain as this can contaminate water and could damage the environment. We recommend that all medicines be returned to your local pharmacy so they can be disposed of safely.

Arrange a 6-month check up with your GP

It is important for you to have a checkup with your GP within 6 months of using vardenafil, even if you feel healthy and well. This is because erectile dysfunction could be an early warning sign of other underlying health issues, such as heart and blood pressure problems, prostate cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol which need medical attention.

DO NOT give or share this medicine with anyone else.