Viagra

• Treats symptoms of erectile dysfunction
• Makes it easier to get and maintain an erection
• Take one hour before sexual activity
• Maximum use: 1 x per day
• Can cause dizziness and eye problems (caution with driving!)

VIAGRA belongs to a group of medicines called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. This medicine causes the blood vessels in the penis to relax, allowing more blood to enter the penis when you are sexually aroused. VIAGRA only produces an erection in response to sexual stimulation. You should not take VIAGRA if you do not have erectile dysfunction. VIAGRA is not indicated for use by women.

VIAGRA is a treatment for adult men with erectile dysfunction, sometimes known as impotence. This is when a man cannot get, or keep a hard, erect penis suitable for sexual activity.

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. When in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

The recommended starting dose is 50 mg.
You should not take VIAGRA more than once a day.
You should take VIAGRA about one hour before you plan to have sex. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.

VIAGRA can be taken with or without food. However, you may find that VIAGRA takes longer to start working if you take it with a heavy meal. Drinking alcohol can temporarily impair your ability to get an erection and thus make VIAGRA less effective.

VIAGRA will only help you to get an erection if you are sexually stimulated. The amount of time VIAGRA takes to work varies from person to person, but it normally takes between half an hour and one hour. If VIAGRA does not help you to get an erection, or if your erection does not last long enough for you to complete sexual intercourse you should tell your doctor.

You should not take more tablets than your doctor tells you to. Contact your doctor if you have taken more tablets than you should.

VIAGRA should not be used if:

• You are taking medicines called nitrates, as the combination may lead to a dangerous fall in your blood pressure. Tell your doctor if you are taking these medicines which are often given for relief of angina pectoris (or 'chest pain'). If you are not certain, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• You are taking products that release nitrogen monoxide, such as amyl nitrite (‘poppers’). This too can result in dangerously low blood pressure.
• You are allergic to the active ingredient or to any of the other ingredients in this medicine listed at the end of this leaflet under 'What Viagra contains'.
• You have a severe heart or liver problem.
• You have recently had a stroke or a heart attack, or if you have low blood pressure.
• You have certain rare inherited eye diseases (such as retinitis pigmentosa).
• You have ever had loss of vision because of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

When should this medicine be used with caution?

Talk to your doctor before taking VIAGRA if:

• You have sickle cell anaemia (an abnormality of red blood cells), leukaemia (cancer of blood cells), multiple myeloma (cancer of bone marrow).
• You have a deformity of your penis or Peyronie’s disease.
• You have heart problems. Your doctor should carefully check whether your heart can take the additional strain of having sex.
• You currently have a stomach ulcer, or a bleeding disorder (such as haemophilia).
• You experience sudden decrease or loss of vision. Stop taking VIAGRA and contact your doctor immediately.

You should not use VIAGRA with any other oral or local treatments for erectile dysfunction.

VIAGRA should not be given to individuals under the age of 18.

You should tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems. Your doctor may decide on a lower dose for you.

Other medicines and VIAGRA

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines in combination with VIAGRA. This includes medicines that do not require a prescription.

VIAGRA tablets may interfere with some medicines, especially those used to treat chest pain. In the event of a medical emergency, you should tell any healthcare professional treating your condition that you have taken VIAGRA lip and when you did. Do not take VIAGRA with other medicines unless your doctor tells you that you can.

You should not take VIAGRA if you are taking medicines called nitrates, as the combination of these medicines may lead to a dangerous fall in your blood pressure. Always tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines, which are often used for the relief of angina pectoris (or 'chest pain').

You should not take VIAGRA if you are using any of the medicines known as nitric oxide donors such as amyl nitrite ('poppers') as the combination may also lead to a dangerous fall in your blood pressure.

If you are taking medicines known as protease inhibitors, such as for the treatment of HIV, your doctor may start you on the lowest dose (25 mg) of VIAGRA.

Some patients who take alpha-blocker therapy for the treatment of high blood pressure or prostate enlargement may experience dizziness or lightheadedness, which may be caused by low blood pressure upon sitting or standing up quickly. Certain patients have experienced these symptoms when taking VIAGRA with alpha-blockers. This is most likely to happen within four hours after taking VIAGRA. To reduce the chance that these symptoms might happen, you should be on a regular daily dose of your alpha blocker before you start VIAGRA. Your doctor may start you on a lower dose (25 mg) of VIAGRA.

VIAGRA may cause side effects. The side effects reported in association with the use of VIAGRA are usually mild to moderate and of a short duration. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine:

• Headache.
• Facial flushing.
• Indigestion.
• Visual disturbances (e.g., colour tinge to vision, sensitivity to light, blurred vision).
• Nasal congestion.
• Dizziness.
• Vomiting.
• Skin rash.
• Eye problems.
• Muscle ache.
• Rapid/irregular heartbeat.
• Sleepiness.
• Ringing in the ears.
• Chest pain.

In rare cases, prolonged and sometimes painful erections have been reported after using VIAGRA. If you have an erection which lasts for more than four hours, you should contact a doctor immediately.

See the package leaflet for a complete list of side effects. Consult a doctor if the side effects are severe or if you experience side effects that are not listed on the leaflet.

The active ingredient in this medicine is sildenafil.

• Each tablet contains 25 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg of sildenafil (as citrate salt).

The other ingredients are:

• Tablet core: microcrystalline cellulose, calcium hydrogen phosphate (anhydrous), croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate.
• Film coating: hypromellose, titanium dioxide (E171), lactose, triacetin, and indigo carmine aluminium lake (E132).

The manufacturer of VIAGRA is Pfizer PGM, Zone Industrielle, 29 route des Industries, 37530 Pocé‑sur-Cisse, France.

Read package leaflet closely before using VIAGRA.