What is sildenafil?
Sildenafil
(brand name: Viagra) is a
medicine that doctors prescribe to help men
who have erectile dysfunction have sex. Erectile dysfunction is the
inability of the penis to become rigid (hard), or to stay rigid long
enough to finish having sex.
sildenafil helps maintain an erection.
How should I take sildenafil?
Follow
your doctor''s instructions. Usually, a man takes 1
tablet 30 minutes to
1 hour before he plans to have sex. You should not take more than 1
tablet in 24 hours. The medicine comes in tablets of 25 mg, 50
mg and
100 mg. Most patients start with 50 mg.Even if you take
sildenafil, you still need physical and mental stimulation and desire
to have an erection. If your first dose of Viagra doesn''t help, call
your doctor. Your doctor may want to change your tablet strength.
What are the side effects?
Sildenafil has some common side effects:
HeadacheFlushing (face and upper body turning red and warm)Stomach upsetRunny nose (sniffles)Vision changes (things look blue)
Headache
is the most common side effect. Vision changes are the least common.
Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you.
Can everyone use sildenafil?
No. You shouldn''t use this medicine if you take any of these forms of
nitroglycerin or any other nitrates:
Isosorbide mononitrate (brand names: Ismo, Monoket, Imdur)Isosorbide dinitrate (brand names: Isordil, Sorbitrate)Sublingual nitroglycerin tablets or spray (brand names: Nitrostat, Nitrolingual Spray)Transdermal nitroglycerin patches or paste (brand names: Minitran, Nitro-Dur, Transderm-Nitro)
You also shouldn''t take sildenafil if you are taking other medicines for erectile dysfunction.If
you use sildenafil and get chest pains, be sure to tell the paramedics,
nurses or doctors at the hospital that you use it and how long ago it
was that you last took a tablet.
More abstracts about the Sildenafil (Viagra)