Sildenafil for erectile dysfunction

About sildenafil for erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (sometimes called impotence) means that you cannot get or maintain a proper erection. There are several causes, the most common being due to a narrowing of the arteries that take blood to the penis.

Sildenafil works by preventing the action of a chemical in your body, called phosphodiesterase type-5. This helps to widen (relax) blood vessels and improves the flow of blood to the penis following sexual stimulation. This helps to maintain an erection.

Sildenafil is available on prescription. Non-branded (generic) tablets of sildenafil are available on the NHS, but the brand Viagra® can only be prescribed on the NHS for men with erectile dysfunction resulting from certain medical conditions.

Sildenafil can also be bought over the counter from pharmacies in certain circumstances. Ask your pharmacist for advice on whether this option is suitable for you.

Another brand of sildenafil tablets called Revatio® is used in a completely different condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension - please see the separate medicine leaflet called Sildenafil for pulmonary hypertension if you have been prescribed this brand of sildenafil tablets.

Before taking sildenafil

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking sildenafil it is important that your doctor knows:

• If you have any disease, injury or deformity of your penis.

• If you have a heart condition, or blood vessel disease.

• If you have had an eye condition causing loss of vision.

• If you have low blood pressure or angina.

• If you have any problems with the way your liver works or with the way your kidneys work.

• If you have had a stroke or a heart attack.

• If you have a condition which causes bleeding, such as a stomach ulcer.

• If you have sickle cell disease.

• If you have ever had bone marrow cancer or leukaemia.

• If you are taking or using any other medicines. This includes any medicines you are taking which are available to buy without a prescription, as well as herbal and complementary medicines, and recreational drugs.

• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine.
  

How to take sildenafil for erectile dysfunction

• Before you take sildenafil, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about the tablets and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking them.

• Take sildenafil exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is intended to be taken before sexual activity - it is NOT for continuous daily use. You should take one tablet about an hour before you plan to have sex, although it may still be effective up to five hours after taking the tablet. You can take the tablet either before or after food but, if you have just eaten a large meal, it may take longer for it to work.

• There are three strengths of sildenafil tablets: 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg. It is likely that you will be given the 50 mg strength tablet to begin with, but this may be changed subsequently depending upon how you react. Each time you collect a prescription, check to make sure it contains the strength of tablet you are expecting.

• Do not take more than one dose of sildenafil in any 24-hour period.

Getting the most from your treatment

• You and your partner will still need to engage in foreplay, just as you would if you were not taking a medicine for erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil will not cause an erection unless you are sexually aroused.

• Do not drink large amounts of alcohol before you plan to take sildenafil. Drinking too much alcohol can reduce your ability to get an erection and this may prevent you from getting the maximum benefit from the tablets.

• It is recommended that you do not drink grapefruit juice with sildenafil. This is because there is a chemical in grapefruit juice which can increase the amount of sildenafil in your bloodstream and this makes side-effects more likely.

• Keep your regular appointments with your doctor so your progress can be monitored. If you feel the tablets are too strong for you, discuss this with your doctor as your dose may need to be reduced. Alternatively, if you do not get an erection after taking sildenafil, or if it does not last long enough for you to have sex, you should discuss this with your doctor - do not take more tablets than you have been told to.

• You should not take sildenafil if you are using any other products or taking any other medicines to treat erectile dysfunction.

Can sildenafil cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with sildenafil. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the tablets, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.

How to store sildenafil

• Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.

• Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.
  

Important information about all medicines