Sildenafil (Viagra®)

This information does not assure that this product is safe, effective, or appropriate for you. This information is not individual medical advice and does not substitute for the advice of your health care professional.

Pregnancy & Lactation

Since high blood pressure in the lungs is a serious condition that can harm both a pregnant woman and her unborn baby, do not stop taking this medication unless directed by your doctor. If you are planning pregnancy, become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, discuss with your doctor right away the benefits and risks of using this medication during pregnancy. Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist.

Storage and Handling

Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval. Some products that may interact with this drug are: Sildenafil can cause a serious drop in your blood pressure when used with nitrates. A serious drop in blood pressure can lead to dizziness, fainting, and rarely heart attack or stroke. Do not use sildenafil with any of the following: certain drugs used to treat chest pain/angina (nitrates such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide) recreational drugs called "poppers" containing amyl or butyl nitrite If you are also taking an alpha blocker medication (such as doxazosin, tamsulosin) to treat an enlarged prostate/BPH or high blood pressure, your blood pressure may get too low which can lead to dizziness or fainting. Your doctor may start treatment with a lower dose of sildenafil to minimize your risk of low blood pressure. Always ask your health care professional for complete information about this product and your specific health needs. Selected from NATIONAL DRUG DATA FILE (NDDF) data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc., 2019. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider. The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your health care professional.

You should consult your health care professional before taking any drug, changing your diet, or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Sildenafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction (also called sexual impotence). Sildenafil belongs to a group of medicines called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. These medicines prevent an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type-5 from working too quickly. The penis is one of the areas where this enzyme works. Erectile dysfunction is a condition where the penis does not harden and expand when a man is sexually excited, or when he cannot keep an erection. When a man is sexually stimulated, his body's normal response is to increase blood flow to his penis to produce an erection. By controlling the enzyme, sildenafil helps to maintain an erection after the penis is stroked.

Without physical action to the penis, such as that occurring during sexual intercourse, sildenafil will not work to cause an erection.

Side Effects

You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345. Before taking sildenafil, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: heart problems (such as heart attack or life-threatening irregular heartbeat in the past 6 months, chest pain/angina, heart failure) penis conditions (such as angulation, fibrosis/scarring, Peyronie's disease) conditions that may increase the risk of priapism (such as sickle cell anemia, leukemia, multiple myeloma) eye problems (such as retinitis pigmentosa, sudden decreased vision, NAION) This drug may make you dizzy or cause vision problems.

Increased genital blood flow

Alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you more dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness or clear vision until you can do it safely. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana (cannabis). Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products). During pregnancy, sildenafil should be used only when clearly needed. Sildenafil is also used in both men and women to treat the symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

• Sildenafil may improve confidence and sexual satisfaction in men with ED.
• The medication is also being researched for pulmonary hypertension treatment.
• Common side effects include dizziness, upset stomach, and vision changes.
• Rare side effects can include priapism, a painful prolonged erection.
• Alcohol can interfere with sildenafil's effectiveness and increase side effects.
• Patients should disclose any heart conditions before using sildenafil.
• Sildenafil may interact with other medications such as alpha-blockers.
• It is not suitable for individuals with severe liver or kidney problems.
• Taking large doses does not necessarily improve efficacy and increases risk.
• Always follow the prescribed dosage and discontinue if adverse effects occur.

This is a type of high blood pressure that occurs between the heart and the lungs. When hypertension occurs in the lungs, the heart must work harder to pump enough blood through the lungs. Sildenafil works on the PDE5 enzyme in the lungs to relax the blood vessels.

This will increase the supply of blood to the lungs and reduce the workload of the heart.

How it works

Keep all medications away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or lovegra sildenafil local waste disposal company. HOW TO USE THIS INFORMATION: This is a summary and does NOT have all possible information about this product. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

How should I take sildenafil?

Other medications can affect the removal of sildenafil from your body, which may affect how sildenafil works. Examples include azole antifungals (such as itraconazole, ketoconazole), macrolide antibiotics (such as clarithromycin, erythromycin), mifepristone, rifampin, ritonavir, among others. Do not take this medication with any other product that contains sildenafil or other similar medications for erectile dysfunction-ED or pulmonary hypertension (such as tadalafil, vardenafil). If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away.

Your questions answered

US residents can call 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call 1-844-764-7669. Symptoms of overdose may include: severe dizziness, fainting, painful/prolonged erection. Do not share this medication with others. Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. This product is available in the following dosage forms: In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do.

• Sildenafil can sometimes cause flushing and nasal congestion.
• It is not a cure for erectile dysfunction, only a treatment option.
• Psychological factors can also affect erectile performance alongside medication.
• Sildenafil may sometimes interact with foods that contain high fat content.
• Regular exercise and stress management can complement treatment with sildenafil.
• The medication should be stored safely out of children's reach.
• Reporting side effects to a healthcare provider is important for safety.
• Sildenafil is typically started at a low dose, gradually increased if needed.
• It is important to follow the prescribed timing for medication intake.
• Discontinuing sildenafil should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of sildenafil in children younger than 1 year of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Sildenafil should never be used in children for erectile dysfunction. In general, sildenafil should not be used for pulmonary arterial hypertension in children, especially for chronic use. Use of sildenafil oral film is not indicated for use in the pediatric population. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of sildenafil in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving sildenafil. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary.

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

If this serious problem occurs, stop taking sildenafil and get medical help right away. You have a slightly greater chance of developing NAION if you have heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, certain other eye problems ("crowded disk"), high blood pressure, if you are over 50, or if you smoke. Rarely, a sudden decrease or loss of hearing, sometimes with ringing in the ears and dizziness, may occur. Stop taking sildenafil and get medical help right away if these effects occur. Rarely, males may have a painful or prolonged erection lasting 4 or more hours.

Patient resources

If this occurs, stop using this drug and get medical help right away, or permanent problems could occur. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat) This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.