Drug Uses

Levitra is an oral therapy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

How Taken

Levitra comes as a tablet to take it orally. It should be taken, as needed about 1 hour before sexual activity. Some form of sexual stimulation is needed for an erection to occur with Levitra. Levitra should not be taken more than once a day. Levitra can be taken with or without food.

Warnings/Precautions

Before taking Levitra, tell your doctor if you currently have or have ever had a heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeats, angina (chest pain), or congestive heart failure; high or low blood pressure; if you have a personal or family history of a rare heart condition known as prolongation of the QT interval (long QT syndrome); liver problems or kidney problems; have ever had blood problems, including sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia; have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; have a stomach ulcer; a family history of degenerative eye disease (e.g., retinitis pigmentosa); or if you have a physical deformity of the penis such as Peyronie's disease. You may not be able to take Levitra, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Although women do not indicate Levitra for use, it is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that Levitra is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Women should not take Levitra. It is not known whether Levitra passes into breast milk. If you are over 65 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from Levitra. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of the medication.

Missed Dose

Levitra is used as needed, so you are not likely to miss a dose.

Possible Side Effects

The most common side effects with Levitra are:
-Headaches
-Flushing
-Stuffy or runny nose
Levitra may uncommonly cause: an erection that will not go away (priapism). If you get an erection that lasts more than 4 hours, get medical help right away. Priapism must be treated as soon as possible or lasting damage can happen to your penis including the inability to have erections. Vision changes, such as seeing a blue tinge to objects or having difficulty telling the difference between the colors blue and green. These are not all the side effects of Levitra. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Storage

Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15-30°C (59-86°F). Keep Levitra and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected. Symptoms of a Levitra overdose are not known, but are likely to include chest pain, back pain, dizziness, an irregular heartbeat, abnormal vision, and swelling of the ankles or legs.

More Information

Do not take Levitra if you:
-Take any form of medication known as "nitrates" (Type of medicine used to relieve chest pain that can occur as a result of heart disease). Taking Levitra in combination with nitrates may result in serious side effects.
-Take medicines called "alpha-blockers" (sometimes prescribed for prostate problems or high blood pressure). Taking Levitra with alpha-blockers may drop your blood pressure to an unsafe level.
-Your doctor determines that sexual activity poses a health risk for you.
You have a known sensitivity or allergy to any component of Levitra. The use of Levitra offers no protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Counseling of patients about protective measures necessary to guard against sexually transmitted diseases, including the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), should be considered.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.

Other info about Levitra at Wikipedia.org and other resources:

LEVITRA (Vardenafil Hydrochloride) Tablet, Film Coated [Schering Plough Corporation]
Updated Date: Jul 12, 2010 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))

STD Rates Higher For ED Drug Users
Men who take Viagra, Levitra or Cialis are more likely to have a sexually transmitted disease, researchers say. (Source: WDSU.com - Health)

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the determination of sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil and their metabolites in human urine.
Authors: Strano-Rossi S, Anzillotti L, de la Torre X, Botrè F Sildenafil (SDF), vardenafil (VDF) and tadalafil (TDF) are phosphodiesterase type 5 enzyme inhibitors (PDE5Is), used in the treatment of erectile disorders and to improve breathing efficiency in pulmonary hypertension. The increasing incidence of their use among young athletes has drawn the attention of the anti-doping authorities to the possible abuse of PDE5Is by athletes due to their pharmacological activities. This paper describes a method for the determination in urine of PDE5Is and their metabolites by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after liquid/liquid extraction of the analytes from urine and derivatisation to obtain trimethylsilyl derivatives. The metabolic profile was studied on real samples collect...

Study Links Hearing Loss And Viagra Use
Research by a University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) professor shows an association between hearing loss and the use of the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. Findings published May 18 in Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery indicate a potential for long-term hearing loss following use of Viagra, and possibly following use of other phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) drugs such as Cialis and Levitra, although results on those drugs are inconclusive... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Study Examines Hearing Loss, Viagra Use
Research by a University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) professor shows an association between hearing loss and the use of the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. Findings published May 18 in Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery indicate a potential for long-term hearing loss following use of Viagra, and possibly following use of other phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) drugs such as Cialis and Levitra, although results on those drugs are inconclusive... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)