10 OVERDOSAGE

PDE5 inhibitors, including vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, and alpha-adrenergic blocking agents are both vasodilators with blood-pressure lowering effects.

• Vardenafil is part of phosphodiesterase inhibitors.
• It may interact with certain blood pressure medications.
• The drug is usually effective within 30 minutes.
• Store vardenafil in a cool, dry place away from children.

When vasodilators are used in combination, an additive effect on blood pressure may be anticipated. In some patients, concomitant use of these two drug classes can lower blood pressure significantly [see Drug Interactions (7.1) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)] leading to symptomatic hypotension (for example, fainting). Consideration should be given to the following:· Patients should be stable on alpha-blocker therapy prior to initiating a PDE5 inhibitor.

• Vardenafil is available by prescription only.
• Common side effects include headache and flushing.
• It should be taken on an empty stomach for best results.
• Do not combine vardenafil with nitrates.

Patients who demonstrate hemodynamic instability on alpha-blocker therapy alone are at increased risk of symptomatic hypotension with concomitant use of PDE5 inhibitors.· In those patients who are stable on alpha-blocker therapy, PDE5 inhibitors should be initiated at the lowest recommended starting dose. Lower doses of vardenafil film-coated tablets should be used as initial therapy in these patients [see Dosage and Administration (2.4)].· In those patients already taking an optimized dose of PDE5 inhibitor, alpha-blocker therapy should be initiated at the lowest dose.

Stepwise increases in alpha-blocker dose may be associated with further lowering of blood pressure in patients 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.5.7 Congenital or Acquired QT ProlongationIn a study of the effect of vardenafil on QT interval in 59 healthy males [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)], therapeutic (10 mg film-coated tablets) and supratherapeutic (80 mg) doses of vardenafil and the active control moxifloxacin (400 mg) produced similar increases in QTc interval. A postmarketing study evaluating the effect of combining vardenafil with another drug of comparable QT effect showed an additive QT effect when compared with either drug alone [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. These observations should be considered in clinical decisions when prescribing vardenafil to patients with known history of QT prolongation or patients who are taking medications known to prolong the QT interval.Patients taking Class 1A (for example, quinidine, procainamide) or Class III (for example, amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic medications or those with congenital QT prolongation, should avoid using vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets.5.8 Hepatic ImpairmentDo not use vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets in patients with moderate (Child-Pugh B) or severe (Child-Pugh C) hepatic impairment [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] and Use in Specific Populations (8.6)].5.9 Renal ImpairmentDo not use vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets in patients on renal dialysis, as vardenafil has not been evaluated in this population [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) and Use in Specific Populations (8.7)].5.10 Combination with Other Erectile Dysfunction TherapiesThe safety and efficacy of vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets used in combination with other treatments for erectile dysfunction have not been studied. Therefore, the use of such combinations is not recommended.5.11 Effects on BleedingIn humans, vardenafil film-coated tablet alone in doses up to 20 mg does not prolong the bleeding time. There is no clinical evidence of any additive prolongation of the bleeding time when vardenafil is administered with aspirin. Vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets have not been administered to patients with bleeding disorders or significant active peptic ulceration.

• The safety profile of vardenafil is well established.
• It is not recommended for use with other ED drugs.
• Physical activity while on vardenafil may enhance effectiveness.
• Notify your doctor if you experience severe pain.

Therefore vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets should be administered to these patients after careful benefit-risk assessment.5.12 PhenylketonuricsVardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets contain aspartame, a source of phenylalanine which may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria. Phenylketonurics: Each vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablet contains 1.403 mg phenylalanine per tablet.5.14 Sexually Transmitted DiseaseUse of vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets 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. The evaluation of erectile dysfunction should include a medical assessment, a determination of potential underlying causes and the identification of appropriate treatment. Before fildena ct prescribing vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, it is important to note the following: Physicians should consider the cardiovascular status of their patients, since there is a degree of cardiac risk associated with sexual activity.

Overdose/Missed Dose

Related treatment guides

Therefore, treatment for erectile dysfunction, including vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, should not be used in men for whom sexual activity is not recommended because of their underlying cardiovascular status. There are no controlled clinical data on the safety or efficacy of vardenafil in the following patients; and therefore its use is not recommended until further information is available: unstable angina; hypotension (resting systolic blood pressure of <90 mmHg); uncontrolled hypertension (>170/110 mmHg); recent history of stroke, life-threatening arrhythmia, or myocardial infarction (within the last 6 months); severe cardiac failure.

Patients with left ventricular outflow obstruction (for example, aortic stenosis and idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis) can be sensitive to the action of vasodilators including PDE5 inhibitors. Vardenafil has systemic vasodilatory properties that resulted in transient decreases in supine blood pressure in healthy volunteers (mean maximum decrease of 7 mmHg systolic and 8 mmHg diastolic) [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. While this normally would be expected to be of little consequence in most patients, prior to prescribing vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, physicians should carefully consider whether their patients with underlying cardiovascular disease could be affected adversely by such vasodilatory effects.

How should this medicine be used?

PDE5 inhibitors, including vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, 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 be anticipated. In some patients, concomitant use of these two drug classes can lower blood pressure significantly [see Drug Interactions (7.1) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)] leading to symptomatic hypotension (for example, fainting). Consideration should be given to the following:· Patients should be stable on alpha-blocker therapy prior to initiating a PDE5 inhibitor. Patients who demonstrate hemodynamic instability on alpha-blocker therapy alone are at increased risk of symptomatic hypotension with concomitant use of PDE5 inhibitors.· In those patients who are stable on alpha-blocker therapy, PDE5 inhibitors should be initiated at the lowest recommended starting dose.

Testosterone Pellets

Lower doses of vardenafil film-coated tablets should be used as initial therapy in these patients [see Dosage and Administration (2.4)].· In those patients already taking an optimized dose of PDE5 inhibitor, alpha-blocker therapy should be initiated at the lowest dose. Stepwise increases in alpha-blocker dose may be associated with further lowering of blood pressure in patients 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.5.7 Congenital or Acquired QT ProlongationIn a study of the effect of vardenafil on QT interval in 59 healthy males [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)], therapeutic (10 mg film-coated tablets) and supratherapeutic (80 mg) doses of vardenafil and the active control moxifloxacin (400 mg) produced similar increases in QTc interval. A postmarketing study evaluating the effect of combining vardenafil with another drug of comparable QT effect showed an additive QT effect when compared with either drug alone [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. These observations should be considered in clinical decisions when prescribing vardenafil to patients with known history of QT prolongation or patients who are taking medications known to prolong the QT interval.Patients taking Class 1A (for example, quinidine, procainamide) or Class III (for example, amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic medications or those with congenital QT prolongation, should avoid using vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets.5.8 Hepatic ImpairmentDo not use vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets in patients with moderate (Child-Pugh B) or severe (Child-Pugh C) hepatic impairment [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] and Use in Specific Populations (8.6)].5.9 Renal ImpairmentDo not use vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets in patients on renal dialysis, as vardenafil has not been evaluated in this population [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) and Use in Specific Populations (8.7)].5.10 Combination with Other Erectile Dysfunction TherapiesThe safety and efficacy of vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets used in combination with other treatments for erectile dysfunction have not been studied. Therefore, the use of such combinations is not recommended.5.11 Effects on BleedingIn humans, vardenafil film-coated tablet alone in doses up to 20 mg does not prolong the bleeding time.

What should I do if I miss a dose of vardenafil?

There is no clinical evidence of any additive prolongation of the bleeding time when vardenafil is administered with aspirin. Vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets have not been administered to patients with bleeding disorders or significant active peptic ulceration. Therefore vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets should be administered to these patients after careful benefit-risk assessment.5.12 PhenylketonuricsVardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets contain aspartame, a source of phenylalanine which may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria. Phenylketonurics: Each vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablet contains 1.403 mg phenylalanine per tablet.5.14 Sexually Transmitted DiseaseUse of vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets 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. Do not use vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets in patients taking strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors [see Dosage and Administration (2.4), Drug Interactions (7.2) and Patient Counseling Information (17).] There have been rare reports of prolonged erections greater than 4 hours and priapism (painful erections greater than 6 hours in duration) for this class of compounds, including vardenafil. If priapism is not treated immediately, penile tissue damage and permanent loss of potency may result. Vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets should be used with caution by patients with anatomical deformation of the penis (such as angulation, cavernosal fibrosis, or Peyronie’s disease) or by patients who have conditions that may predispose them to priapism (such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia). Physicians should advise patients to stop use of all phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, including vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, and seek medical attention in the event of sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes. Based on published literature, the annual incidence of NAION is 2.5 to 11.8 cases per 100,000 in males aged ≥50. Neither the rare postmarketing 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 NAION risk factors could be adversely affected by use of PDE5 inhibitors.

• Vardenafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction in men.
• It works by increasing blood flow to the penis.
• Vardenafil is marketed under the brand name Levitra.
• The drug typically takes effect within 25-60 minutes.

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 vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, for this uncommon condition. Vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets have not been evaluated in patients with known hereditary degenerative retinal disorders, including retinitis pigmentosa, therefore its use is not recommended until further information is available in those patients. Physicians should advise patients to stop taking all PDE5 inhibitors, including vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, and seek prompt medical attention in the event of sudden decrease or loss of hearing.

8.5 Geriatric Use

The evaluation of erectile dysfunction should include a medical assessment, a determination of potential underlying causes and the identification of appropriate treatment. Before fildena ct prescribing vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, it is important to note the following: Physicians should consider the cardiovascular status of their patients, since there is a degree of cardiac risk associated with sexual activity. Therefore, treatment for erectile dysfunction, including vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, should not be used in men for whom sexual activity is not recommended because of their underlying cardiovascular status. There are no controlled clinical data on the safety or efficacy of vardenafil in the following patients; and therefore its use is not recommended until further information is available: unstable angina; hypotension (resting systolic blood pressure of <90 mmHg); uncontrolled hypertension (>170/110 mmHg); recent history of stroke, life-threatening arrhythmia, or myocardial infarction (within the last 6 months); severe cardiac failure. Patients with left ventricular outflow obstruction (for example, aortic stenosis and idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis) can be sensitive to the action of vasodilators including PDE5 inhibitors.

Does vardenafil interact with foods or drinks?

Vardenafil has systemic vasodilatory properties that resulted in transient decreases in supine blood pressure in healthy volunteers (mean maximum decrease of 7 mmHg systolic and 8 mmHg diastolic) [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. While this normally would be expected to be of little consequence in most patients, prior to prescribing vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, physicians should carefully consider whether their patients with underlying cardiovascular disease could be affected adversely by such vasodilatory effects. Do not use vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets in patients taking strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors [see Dosage and Administration (2.4), Drug Interactions (7.2) and Patient Counseling Information (17).] There have been rare reports of prolonged erections greater than 4 hours and priapism (painful erections greater than 6 hours in duration) for this class of compounds, including vardenafil. If priapism is not treated immediately, penile tissue damage and permanent loss of potency may result. Vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets should be used with caution by patients with anatomical deformation of the penis (such as angulation, cavernosal fibrosis, or Peyronie’s disease) or by patients who have conditions that may predispose them to priapism (such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia).

General drug facts

Physicians should advise patients to stop use of all phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, including vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, and seek medical attention in the event of sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes. Based on published literature, the annual incidence of NAION is 2.5 to 11.8 cases per 100,000 in males aged ≥50. Neither the rare postmarketing 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 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 vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, for this uncommon condition. 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 (6.2)]. Consideration should be given to the following: · Patients should be stable on alpha-blocker therapy prior to initiating a PDE5 inhibitor.

Vardenafil dosage

Vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets have not been evaluated in patients with known hereditary degenerative retinal disorders, including retinitis pigmentosa, therefore its use is not recommended until further information is available in those patients. Physicians should advise patients to stop taking all PDE5 inhibitors, including vardenafil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, 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 (6.2)]. Consideration should be given to the following: · Patients should be stable on alpha-blocker therapy prior to initiating a PDE5 inhibitor. Patients who demonstrate hemodynamic instability on alpha-blocker therapy alone are at increased risk of symptomatic hypotension with concomitant use of PDE5 inhibitors.

Usual Adult Dose for:

· In those patients who are stable on alpha-blocker therapy, PDE5 inhibitors should be initiated at the lowest recommended starting dose. · In those patients already taking an optimized dose of PDE5 inhibitor, alpha-blocker therapy should be initiated at the lowest dose. Stepwise increases in alpha-blocker dose may be associated with further lowering of blood pressure in patients 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. In a study of the effect of vardenafil on QT interval in 59 healthy males [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)], therapeutic (10 mg film-coated tablets) and supratherapeutic (80 mg) doses of vardenafil and the active control moxifloxacin (400 mg) produced similar increases in QTc interval.

Why might vardenafil not work the first time?

Patients who demonstrate hemodynamic instability on alpha-blocker therapy alone are at increased risk of symptomatic hypotension with concomitant use of PDE5 inhibitors. · In those patients who are stable on alpha-blocker therapy, PDE5 inhibitors should be initiated at the lowest recommended starting dose. · In those patients already taking an optimized dose of PDE5 inhibitor, alpha-blocker therapy should be initiated at the lowest dose. Stepwise increases in alpha-blocker dose may be associated with further lowering of blood pressure in patients 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. In a study of the effect of vardenafil on QT interval in 59 healthy males [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)], therapeutic (10 mg film-coated tablets) and supratherapeutic (80 mg) doses of vardenafil and the active control moxifloxacin (400 mg) produced similar increases in QTc interval.