Papaverine

Generic name: Papaverine
Dosage form: injectable solution (30 mg/mL)
Drug class: Peripheral vasodilators

Usage of Papaverine

Papaverine is a vasodilator that relaxes smooth muscles in your blood vessels to help them dilate (widen). This lowers blood pressure and allows blood to flow more easily through your veins and arteries.

Papaverine is used to treat many conditions that cause spasm of smooth muscle. This includes chest pain, circulation problems, heart attack, or disorders of the stomach or gallbladder.

Papaverine is not for use in treating erectile dysfunction (impotence) and should not be injected into the penis. This practice has resulted in painful or prolonged erection that may require surgery to correct.

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

Papaverine side effects

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

Papaverine may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

severe headache, blurred vision, fast heart rate, pounding in your neck or ears, anxiety, shortness of breath;

extreme drowsiness;

vision changes; or

pain, swelling, or redness where the medicine was injected.

Common side effects of papaverine may include:

nausea, upset stomach, loss of appetite, constipation, diarrhea;

general ill feeling;

headache, drowsiness, dizziness or spinning sensation;

flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling);

skin rash, increased sweating; or

tiredness, lack of energy.

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.

Before taking Papaverine

You should not receive papaverine if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

a serious heart condition such as "AV block."

If possible before you receive papaverine, tell your doctor if you have:

heart disease;

high blood pressure;

glaucoma; or

liver disease.

It is not known whether papaverine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine.

It is not known whether papaverine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

In an emergency situation it may not be possible to tell your caregivers if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Make sure any doctor caring for your pregnancy or your baby knows you have received this medicine.

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Warnings

You should not receive papaverine if you have a serious heart condition such as "AV block."

In an emergency situation it may not be possible to tell your caregivers about your health conditions. Make sure any doctor caring for you afterward knows you have received this medicine.

What other drugs will affect Papaverine

Taking this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before taking papaverine with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.

Other drugs may interact with papaverine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

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