Sildenafil injection

Generic name: Sildenafil (injection)
Brand names: Revatio
Dosage form: intravenous solution (10 mg/12.5 mL)

Usage of Sildenafil injection

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

Sildenafil injection (Revatio) is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension and improve exercise capacity in men and women.

Another brand of sildenafil is Viagra, which is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. Revatio is used to treat PAH in both men and women.

Do not use sildenafil injection while also taking Viagra or other erectile dysfunction medications, unless your doctor tells you to.

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

Sildenafil injection side effects

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

Stop using sildenafil and get emergency medical help if you have:

heart attack symptoms--chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;

vision changes or sudden vision loss; or

erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours (prolonged erection can damage the penis).

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

ringing in your ears, or sudden hearing loss;

irregular heartbeat;

swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;

shortness of breath; or

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out.

Common side effects of sildenafil may include:

nosebleed;

headache;

upset stomach;

flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling);

sleep problems (insomnia); or

runny or stuffy nose.

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 Sildenafil injection

You should not use sildenafil injection if you are allergic to it, or:

if you take other medicines to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, such as riociguat (Adempas).

Do not use sildenafil injection if you are also taking a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems. This includes nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, and isosorbide mononitrate. Nitrates are also found in some recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite ("poppers"). Using sildenafil with a nitrate medicine can cause a sudden and serious decrease in blood pressure.

To make sure sildenafil is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

heart disease or heart rhythm problems, angina (chest pain), coronary artery disease, circulation problems;

a condition called pulmonary veno-occlusive disease;

a heart attack, stroke, or congestive heart failure;

high or low blood pressure;

liver or kidney disease;

a blood cell disorder such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia;

a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia;

a stomach ulcer;

retinitis pigmentosa (an inherited condition of the eye), or a history of vision loss;

a physical deformity of the penis (such as Peyronie's disease).

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 using sildenafil, most of whom also had heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and in those who smoked or were over 50 years old. It is not clear whether sildenafil is the actual cause of vision loss.

This medicine is not expected to harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

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

Do not give this medication to anyone under 18 years old without medical advice.

How to use Sildenafil injection

Usual Adult Dose for Erectile Dysfunction:

Initial dose: 50 mg orally once a day, as needed, 1 hour prior to sexual activityMaintenance: 25 to 100 mg orally once a day, as needed, 1 hour prior to sexual activityComments: This drug may be taken anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours before sexual activity.Use: Treatment of erectile dysfunction

Usual Adult Dose for Pulmonary Hypertension:

Revatio (R):Oral:-Initial dose: 5 or 20 mg orally three times a day, 4 to 6 hours apart-Maximum dose: 20 mg orally three times a dayInjection:-Initial dose: 2.5 or 10 mg IV bolus three times a dayComments:-No greater efficacy was achieved with oral doses higher than the maximum recommended dose.-A 10 mg injection dose is predicted to provide pharmacological effect equivalent to the 20 mg oral dose.Use: Treatment of PAH (WHO Group I) in adults to improve exercise ability and delay clinical worsening

Usual Geriatric Dose for Erectile Dysfunction:

Initial dose: 25 mg orally once a day 1 hour prior to sexual activityUse: Treatment of erectile dysfunction

Warnings

Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used with sildenafil. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines, especially riociguat (Adempas).

Do not use sildenafil if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems, including nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, and some recreational drugs such as "poppers." Using sildenafil with a nitrate medicine can cause a sudden and serious decrease in blood pressure.

Do not use sildenafil injection with Viagra similar medications such as avanafil (Stendra), tadalafil (Cialis) or vardenafil (Levitra). Tell your doctor about all medications you use for erectile dysfunction.

Get emergency medical help if you have ringing in your ears, sudden hearing loss, or sudden vision loss.

What other drugs will affect Sildenafil injection

Do not use Revatio with Viagra or similar medications such as avanafil (Stendra), tadalafil (Cialis) or vardenafil (Levitra). Tell your doctor about all medications you use for erectile dysfunction.

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:

drugs to treat high blood pressure or a prostate disorder;

an antibiotic--clarithromycin, erythromycin, or telithromycin;

antifungal medicine--ketoconazole or itraconazole; or

medicine to treat HIV/AIDS--atazanavir, indinavir, ritonavir, or saquinavir.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with sildenafil, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.