Medications and Drugs

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Brand Names: Levitra

Generic Name: vardenafil (Pronunciation: var DEN a fil)

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

What is vardenafil (Levitra)?

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

Vardenafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence).

Vardenafil may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Levitra 10 mg

round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 10

Levitra 20 mg

round, orange, imprinted with BAYER BAYER, 20

Levitra 5 mg

round, orange, imprinted with BAYER BAYER, 5

What are the possible side effects of vardenafil (Levitra)?

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

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 vardenafil.

Stop using vardenafil 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;
• penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer; or
• seizure (convulsions).

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 vardenafil (Levitra)?

Do not take vardenafil 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 vardenafil 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 vardenafil.

Do not take vardenafil 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.

Vardenafil 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 vardenafil, 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 vardenafil is the actual cause of vision loss.

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