INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Prolonged erection greater than 4 hours and priapism (painful erections greater than 6 hours in duration) have been reported infrequently since market approval of sildenafil tablets. If priapism is not treated immediately, penile tissue damage and permanent loss of potency could result. Sildenafil citrate should be used with caution in patients with anatomical deformation of the penis (such as angulation, cavernosal fibrosis or Peyronie’s disease), or in patients who have conditions which may predispose them to priapism (such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia).

Before taking this medicine

The use of sildenafil citrate offers no protection against sexually transmitted diseases. 6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling:Cardiovascular [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]Prolonged Erection and Priapism [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]Effects on the Eye [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]Hearing Loss [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]Hypotension when Co-administered with Alpha-blockers or Anti-hypertensives [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)]Adverse Reactions with the Concomitant Use of Ritonavir [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)]Combination with other PDE5 Inhibitors or Other Erectile Dysfunction Therapies [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]Effects on Bleeding [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)]Counseling Patients About Sexually Transmitted Diseases [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.9)]The most common adverse reactions reported in clinical trials (≥ 2%) are headache, flushing, dyspepsia, abnormal vision, nasal congestion, back pain, myalgia, nausea, dizziness, and rash.6.1 Clinical Trials ExperienceBecause clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.Sildenafil citrate was administered to over 3,700 patients (aged 19 to 87 years) during pre-marketing clinical trials worldwide. Over 550 patients were treated for longer than one year.In placebo-controlled clinical studies, the discontinuation rate due to adverse reactions for sildenafil citrate (2.5%) was not significantly different from placebo (2.3%).In fixed-dose studies, the incidence of some adverse reactions increased with dose. The type of adverse reactions in flexible-dose studies, which reflect the recommended dosage regimen, was similar to that for fixed-dose studies. At doses above the recommended dose range, adverse reactions were similar to those detailed in Table 1 below but generally were reported more frequently.†Abnormal Vision: Mild to moderate in severity and transient, predominantly color tinge to vision, but also increased sensitivity to light, or blurred vision.When sildenafil citrate was taken as recommended (on an as-needed basis) in flexible-dose, placebo-controlled clinical trials of two to twenty-six weeks duration, patients took sildenafil citrate at least once weekly, and the following adverse reactions were reported:†Abnormal Vision: Mild and transient, predominantly color tinge to vision, but also increased sensitivity to light, or blurred vision.

Pulmonary hypertension

In these studies, only one patient discontinued due to abnormal vision.The following events occurred in <2% of patients in controlled clinical trials; a causal relationship to sildenafil citrate is uncertain. This analysis was performed retrospectively, and was not powered to detect any pre-specified difference in adverse reactions.6.2 Postmarketing ExperienceThe following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of sildenafil citrate. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. These events have been chosen for inclusion either due to their seriousness, reporting frequency, lack of clear alternative causation, or a combination of these factors.Cardiovascular and cerebrovascularSerious cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and vascular events, including myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, ventricular arrhythmia, cerebrovascular hemorrhage, transient ischemic attack, hypertension, subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhages, and pulmonary hemorrhage have been reported post-marketing in temporal association with the use of sildenafil citrate. Most, but not all, of these patients had preexisting cardiovascular risk factors. However, there are no controlled clinical data on the safety or efficacy of sildenafil citrate in patients with sickle cell or related anemias. Physicians should advise patients to stop use of all phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, including sildenafil citrate, and seek medical attention in the event of a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.

Other risk factors for NAION, such as the presence of “crowded” optic disc, may have contributed to the occurrence of NAION in these studies. Neither the rare post-marketing reports, nor the association of PDE5 inhibitor use and NAION in the observational studies, substantiate a causal relationship between PDE5 inhibitor use and NAION [ see Adverse Reactions (6.2)]. Physicians should consider whether their patients with underlying sildenafil generic NAION risk factors could be adversely affected by use of PDE5 inhibitors. Individuals with “crowded” optic disc are also considered at greater risk for NAION compared to the general population, however, evidence is insufficient to support screening of prospective users of PDE5 inhibitors, including sildenafil citrate, for this uncommon condition. There are no controlled clinical data on the safety or efficacy of sildenafil citrate in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (a minority of these patients have genetic disorders of retinal phosphodiesterases); if prescribed, this should be done with caution. Physicians should advise patients to stop taking PDE5 inhibitors, including sildenafil citrate, and seek prompt medical attention in the event of sudden decrease or loss of hearing. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to the use of PDE5 inhibitors or to other factors [ see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1, 6.2) ]. Caution is advised when PDE5 inhibitors are co-administered with alpha-blockers. PDE5 inhibitors, including sildenafil citrate, and alpha-adrenergic blocking agents are both vasodilators with blood pressure lowering effects. When vasodilators are used in combination, an additive effect on blood pressure may occur. In some patients, concomitant use of these two drug classes can lower blood pressure significantly [ see Drug Interactions (7.2)and Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)] leading to symptomatic hypotension (e.g., dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting). Consideration should be given to the following: Patients who demonstrate hemodynamic instability on alpha-blocker therapy alone are at increased risk of symptomatic hypotension with concomitant use of PDE5 inhibitors. Patients should be stable on alpha-blocker therapy prior to initiating a PDE5 inhibitor. In those patients who are stable on alpha-blocker therapy, PDE5 inhibitors should be initiated at the lowest dose [ see Dosage and Administration (2.3)]. In those patients already taking an optimized dose of a PDE5 inhibitor, alpha-blocker therapy should be initiated at the lowest dose. Stepwise increase in alpha-blocker dose may be associated with further lowering of blood pressure when taking a PDE5 inhibitor.

Safety of combined use of PDE5 inhibitors and alpha-blockers may be affected by other variables, including intravascular volume depletion and other anti-hypertensive drugs. Sildenafil citrate has systemic vasodilatory properties and may further lower blood pressure in patients taking anti-hypertensive medications. In a separate drug interaction study, when amlodipine, 5 mg or 10 mg, and sildenafil citrate, 100 mg were orally administered concomitantly to hypertensive patients mean additional blood pressure reduction of 8 mmHg systolic and 7 mmHg diastolic were noted [ see Drug Interactions (7.3)and Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)].

• Sildenafil 120 mg can cause flushing and nasal congestion as common side effects.
• It is important to follow medical advice to minimize health risks.
• The drug's effectiveness can be influenced by other health conditions like diabetes.
• Consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice may affect sildenafil’s metabolism.
• Patients should seek emergency care if experiencing an erection lasting longer than 4 hours.
• Sildenafil’s effects typically last about 4-6 hours, depending on individual factors.

To decrease the chance of adverse reactions in patients taking ritonavir, a decrease in sildenafil dosage is recommended [ see Dosage and Administration (2.4), Drug Interactions (7.4), and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. The safety and efficacy of combinations of sildenafil tablets, oral sildenafil 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg with other PDE5 Inhibitors, including sildenafil tablets, 20 mg or other pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatments containing sildenafil, or other treatments for erectile dysfunction have not been studied.

Top 20 FAQs

Many of these events were reported to occur during or shortly after sexual activity, and a few were reported to occur shortly after the use of sildenafil citrate without sexual activity. Others were reported to have occurred hours to days after the use of sildenafil citrate and sexual activity. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to sildenafil citrate, to sexual activity, to the patient’s underlying cardiovascular disease, to a combination of these factors, or to other factors [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)and Patient Counseling Information (17)].Hemic and Lymphatic:vaso-occlusive crisis: In a small, prematurely terminated study of sildenafil tablets, 20 mg (sildenafil) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) secondary to sickle cell disease, vaso-occlusive crises requiring hospitalization were more commonly reported in patients who received sildenafil than in those randomized to placebo. Therefore, the use of such combinations is not recommended. There have been postmarketing reports of bleeding events in patients who have taken sildenafil citrate. In addition, the combination of heparin and sildenafil citrate 200mg price sildenafil citrate had an additive effect on bleeding time in the anesthetized rabbit, but this interaction has not been studied in humans.

Usual Geriatric Dose for Erectile Dysfunction

Physicians should advise patients to stop taking PDE5 inhibitors, including sildenafil citrate, and seek prompt medical attention in the event of sudden decrease or loss of hearing. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to the use of PDE5 inhibitors or to other factors [ see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1, 6.2) ]. Caution is advised when PDE5 inhibitors are co-administered with alpha-blockers. PDE5 inhibitors, including sildenafil citrate, and alpha-adrenergic blocking agents are both vasodilators with blood pressure lowering effects. When vasodilators are used in combination, an additive effect on blood pressure may occur.

3. Shelf Life, Storage, and Dosage Form

In some patients, concomitant use of these two drug classes can lower blood pressure significantly [ see Drug Interactions (7.2)and Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)] leading to symptomatic hypotension (e.g., dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting). Consideration should be given to the following: Patients who demonstrate hemodynamic instability on alpha-blocker therapy alone are at increased risk of symptomatic hypotension with concomitant use of PDE5 inhibitors. Patients should be stable on alpha-blocker therapy prior to initiating a PDE5 inhibitor. In those patients who are stable on alpha-blocker therapy, PDE5 inhibitors should be initiated at the lowest dose [ see Dosage and Administration (2.3)]. In those patients already taking an optimized dose of a PDE5 inhibitor, alpha-blocker therapy should be initiated at the lowest dose. The safety of sildenafil citrate is unknown in patients with bleeding disorders and patients with active peptic ulceration.

Other Comments

The use of sildenafil citrate offers no protection against sexually transmitted diseases.

Before Using

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling:Cardiovascular [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]Prolonged Erection and Priapism [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]Effects on the Eye [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]Hearing Loss [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]Hypotension when Co-administered with Alpha-blockers or Anti-hypertensives [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)]Adverse Reactions with the Concomitant Use of Ritonavir [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)]Combination with other PDE5 Inhibitors or Other Erectile Dysfunction Therapies [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]Effects on Bleeding [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)]Counseling Patients About Sexually Transmitted Diseases [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.9)]The most common adverse reactions reported in clinical trials (≥ 2%) are headache, flushing, dyspepsia, abnormal vision, nasal congestion, back pain, myalgia, nausea, dizziness, and rash.6.1 Clinical Trials ExperienceBecause clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.Sildenafil citrate was administered to over 3,700 patients (aged 19 to 87 years) during pre-marketing clinical trials worldwide. Over 550 patients were treated for longer than one year.In placebo-controlled clinical studies, the discontinuation rate due to adverse reactions for sildenafil citrate (2.5%) was not significantly different from placebo (2.3%).In fixed-dose studies, the incidence of some adverse reactions increased with dose. The type of adverse reactions in flexible-dose studies, which reflect the recommended dosage regimen, was similar to that for fixed-dose studies. At doses above the recommended dose range, adverse reactions were similar to those detailed in Table 1 below but generally were reported more frequently.†Abnormal Vision: Mild to moderate in severity and transient, predominantly color tinge to vision, but also increased sensitivity to light, or blurred vision.When sildenafil citrate was taken as recommended (on an as-needed basis) in flexible-dose, placebo-controlled clinical trials of two to twenty-six weeks duration, patients took sildenafil citrate at least once weekly, and the following adverse reactions were reported:†Abnormal Vision: Mild and transient, predominantly color tinge to vision, but also increased sensitivity to light, or blurred vision.

• Overuse of sildenafil 120 mg may result in severe headache and nausea.
• Alcohol can reduce sildenafil effectiveness and worsen side effects.
• Always follow the doctor’s instructions for dosing and timing.
• Sildenafil should be stored away from moisture, heat, and light.
• Do not mix sildenafil with recreational drugs like 'poppers' or stimulants.
• Sudden vision loss is rare but requires immediate medical attention.

In these studies, only one patient discontinued due to abnormal vision.The following events occurred in <2% of patients in controlled clinical trials; a causal relationship to sildenafil citrate is uncertain.

This analysis was performed retrospectively, and was not powered to detect any pre-specified difference in adverse reactions.6.2 Postmarketing ExperienceThe following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of sildenafil citrate. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

• Patients with liver or kidney issues need dose adjustments and careful monitoring.
• The recommended maximum dose for sildenafil is generally 100 mg per day.
• Excessive use increases the likelihood of adverse cardiovascular events.
• Use of sildenafil does not provide protection against sexually transmitted infections.
• Some users report a persistent blue-tinged vision after high doses.
• It’s essential to obtain sildenafil from reputable sources to avoid counterfeit products.

These events have been chosen for inclusion either due to their seriousness, reporting frequency, lack of clear alternative causation, or a combination of these factors.Cardiovascular and cerebrovascularSerious cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and vascular events, including myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, ventricular arrhythmia, cerebrovascular hemorrhage, transient ischemic attack, hypertension, subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhages, and pulmonary hemorrhage have been reported post-marketing in temporal association with the use of sildenafil citrate.

In case of emergency/overdose

Stepwise increase in alpha-blocker dose may be associated with further lowering of blood pressure when taking a PDE5 inhibitor. Safety of combined use of PDE5 inhibitors and alpha-blockers may be affected by other variables, including intravascular volume depletion and other anti-hypertensive drugs. Sildenafil citrate has systemic vasodilatory properties and may further lower blood pressure in patients taking anti-hypertensive medications. In a separate drug interaction study, when amlodipine, 5 mg or 10 mg, and sildenafil citrate, 100 mg were orally administered concomitantly to hypertensive patients mean additional blood pressure reduction of 8 mmHg systolic and 7 mmHg diastolic were noted [ see Drug Interactions (7.3)and Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. To decrease the chance of adverse reactions in patients taking ritonavir, a decrease in sildenafil dosage is recommended [ see Dosage and Administration (2.4), Drug Interactions (7.4), and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

Marketing and sales

The safety and efficacy of combinations of sildenafil tablets, oral sildenafil 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg with other PDE5 Inhibitors, including sildenafil tablets, 20 mg or other pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatments containing sildenafil, or other treatments for erectile dysfunction have not been studied. Therefore, the use of such combinations is not recommended. There have been postmarketing reports of bleeding events in patients who have taken sildenafil citrate. In addition, the combination of heparin and sildenafil citrate 200mg price sildenafil citrate had an additive effect on bleeding time in the anesthetized rabbit, but this interaction has not been studied in humans. The safety of sildenafil citrate is unknown in patients with bleeding disorders and patients with active peptic ulceration. Most, but not all, of these patients had preexisting cardiovascular risk factors. Many of these events were reported to occur during or shortly after sexual activity, and a few were reported to occur shortly after the use of sildenafil citrate without sexual activity. Others were reported to have occurred hours to days after the use of sildenafil citrate and sexual activity.

Side Effects

Prolonged erection greater than 4 hours and priapism (painful erections greater than 6 hours in duration) have been reported infrequently since market approval of sildenafil tablets. If priapism is not treated immediately, penile tissue damage and permanent loss of potency could result. Sildenafil citrate should be used with caution in patients with anatomical deformation of the penis (such as angulation, cavernosal fibrosis or Peyronie’s disease), or in patients who have conditions which may predispose them to priapism (such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia). However, there are no controlled clinical data on the safety or efficacy of sildenafil citrate in patients with sickle cell or related anemias. Physicians should advise patients to stop use of all phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, including sildenafil citrate, and seek medical attention in the event of a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.

Recreational use

Other risk factors for NAION, such as the presence of “crowded” optic disc, may have contributed to the occurrence of NAION in these studies. Neither the rare post-marketing reports, nor the association of PDE5 inhibitor use and NAION in the observational studies, substantiate a causal relationship between PDE5 inhibitor use and NAION [ see Adverse Reactions (6.2)]. Physicians should consider whether their patients with underlying sildenafil generic NAION risk factors could be adversely affected by use of PDE5 inhibitors. Individuals with “crowded” optic disc are also considered at greater risk for NAION compared to the general population, however, evidence is insufficient to support screening of prospective users of PDE5 inhibitors, including sildenafil citrate, for this uncommon condition. There are no controlled clinical data on the safety or efficacy of sildenafil citrate in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (a minority of these patients have genetic disorders of retinal phosphodiesterases); if prescribed, this should be done with caution. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to sildenafil citrate, to sexual activity, to the patient’s underlying cardiovascular disease, to a combination of these factors, or to other factors [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)and Patient Counseling Information (17)].Hemic and Lymphatic:vaso-occlusive crisis: In a small, prematurely terminated study of sildenafil tablets, 20 mg (sildenafil) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) secondary to sickle cell disease, vaso-occlusive crises requiring hospitalization were more commonly reported in patients who received sildenafil than in those randomized to placebo.