Archive for May 2011

Important information about Viagra

Do not take the drug more than once a day. Allow 24 hours interval to pass between doses.

Call your doctor or seek emergency help if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection can completely damage the penis.

Do not take Viagra if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems.

If you become nauseated, or have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw during sexual activity,  stop and call your doctor at once.

Viagra can have a rare side effect – a sudden vision loss or color discrimination problems.  This side effect has occurred rarely with males taking Viagra, 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.

If you are over 65 years old you should consult your doctor before taking Viagra. Your doctor will find the right dose for you after careful examination and special tests if necessary.

 

What medications affect Viagra?

Viagra should not be taken with similar medications for ED therapies such as: tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra) or (sildenafil) Kamagra.

Viagra should not be taken if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems, in this case consult your doctor. Nitrates list includes: nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, Minitran, Deponit, Transderm-Nitro), isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR, Isordil, Sorbitrate), and isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket), or recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite (“poppers”).

Before taking Viagra, tell your doctor about all the medications you use especially if you use:

  • bosentan (Tracleer);
  • cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB);
  • conivaptan (Vaprisol);
  • diclofenac (Arthrotec, Cataflam, Voltaren, Flector Patch, Solareze);
  • imatinib (Gleevec);
  • isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis);
  • rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane);
  • an antidepressant such as nefazodone;
  • an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), dalfopristin/quinupristin (Synercid), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin) or telithromycin (Ketek);
  • an antifungal medication such as clotrimazole (Mycelex Troche), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or voriconazole (Vfend);
  • heart or blood pressure medication such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac), doxazosin (Cardura), nicardipine (Cardene), quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex, Quin-Release), or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin,Verelan); or
  • HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), saquinavir (Invirase), or ritonavir (Norvir).

Remember that this list is not full and there may be other drugs that can affect Viagra. Tell your doctor if you take vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors.

Viagra Pharmacodynamics

1.Effects of the drug on erectile response:

In eight double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of males suffering from ED caused by physical or psychological factors, sexual potency improved after taking Viagra pill in comparison to placebo. The patients reported improved erections which were confirmed by objective measurements of hardness and erection durations by RigiScan. Most patients reported the drug started working after an hour which proves the time of max plasma concentration of sildenafil citrate. The studies confirmed the time of the effect of the drug lasting up to 4 hours.

2.Effects of the drug on blood pressure:

The max oral dose of the drug (100mg) administered to healthy patients made the decrease in blood pressure up to 8.3/5.3 mmHg for the period of 1-2 hours. The same effect had the other doses in 25mg and 50mg of the drug, still the decrease in blood pressure was not large. Greater decrease in blood pressure was recorded in patients taking nitrates, which affect the drug highly. Patients who are taking Viagra and inadvertently or intentionally take a medication containing nitrates may suffer from life-threatening hypotension – a severe drop in blood pressure.

3.Effects of the drug on vision:

The max oral dose of the drug of 100mg administered to the patients with no eye diseases produced rare side effect of color changes, when patients could not notice difference mostly between blue and green colors. This rare effect occurred near the time of max concentration of the drug in plasma.

Viagra Side Effects

The most commonly occurring side effects of the drug are flushing of the face, upset stomach, headache and nasal congestion.

Less common side effects include, but are not limited to:

  • vision problems, including sensitivity to light, blurred vision, and a color tinge to vision;
  • urinary tract infection;
  • diarrhea;
  • dizziness;
  • rash.

These side effects may be reduced or eliminated with the help of proper adjustments to dosage. Anyway males who experience these symptoms should consult their doctor.

Side effects of this drug can be characterized as serious and less serious. Less serious Viagra side effects may include:

  • warmth or redness in your neck, or chest;
  • memory problems;
  • back pain.

Priapism is one of the serious side effects of the drug, which is a painful and prolonged erection that lasts more than 4 hours. It is a rare side effect but very serious it can permanently damage the tissues of the penis, anyone who experiences an erection lasting over four hours should call a doctor immediately.

Stop using Viagra and call your doctor at once if you have any serious side effects such as:

  • sudden vision loss;
  • ringing in your ears or hearing loss;
  • chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea;
  • irregular heartbeat;
  • problems with breathing;
  • feeling light-headed, fainting.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these conditions. You can also experience allergic reactions such as: hives, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Dosage and Effectiveness Time Requirement

The average recommended dose of Viagra is 50 mg. However, some patients do not respond adequately to this amount. They should undergo special tests to find the optimal dosage, that may be increased up to 100 mg or decreased to 25 mg.
It is important to understand that Viagra does not increase sexual desire. Sexual stimulation and arousal are needed for the drug to be effective. Viagra is not an aphrodisiac and should not be used as a recreational drug. Viagra does not improve sexual performance in men who are not suffering from ED and in some cases it can lead to unpleasant results if the drug is taken without real need.
Time requirement for the drug to be absorbed by the body and become effective is not very long. The drug is rapidly absorbed so the average recommended time frame for taking the drug is one hour before initiating sexual activity, although depending on an individual’s response to the drug, this time can vary from four hours to 30 minutes.
It is necessary to consult your doctor before beginning treatment with sildenafil citrate. The drug is not for everyone and can have side effects. Your doctor will evaluate your medical history and exam you thorougly before prescribing the drug.