Medications and Drugs

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Brand Names: Revatio, Viagra

Generic Name: sildenafil (oral) (Pronunciation: sil DEN a fil)

• What is sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?
• What are the possible side effects of sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?
• What is the most important information I should know about sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?
• How should I take sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Revatio, Viagra)?
• What happens if I overdose (Revatio, Viagra)?
• What should I avoid while taking sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?
• What other drugs will affect sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?
• Where can I get more information?

What is sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?

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

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.

Sildenafil may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Viagra 100 mg

diamond, blue, imprinted with Pfizer, VGR 100

Viagra 25 mg

diamond, blue, imprinted with Pfizer, VGR 25

Viagra 50 mg

diamond, blue, imprinted with Pfizer, VGR 50

What are the possible side effects of sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

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 sildenafil.

Stop using sildenafil and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• sudden vision loss;
• ringing in your ears, or sudden hearing loss;
• chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;
• irregular heartbeat;
• swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;
• shortness of breath;
• vision changes;
• feeling light-headed, fainting; or
• penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.

Less serious side effects may include:

• warmth or redness in your face, neck, or chest;
• stuffy nose;
• headache;
• memory problems;
• upset stomach; or
• back pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra)?

Do not take sildenafil 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 sildenafil 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 sildenafil.

Do not take sildenafil 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.

Sildenafil 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 sildenafil, 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 sildenafil is the actual cause of vision loss.

Stop using sildenafil and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.