Home
Individuals and Families
Health and Wellness
Wellness Library
vardenafil

vardenafil

Pronunciation: var DEN a fil

Brand: Levitra, Staxyn

Staxyn

slide 1 of 10, Staxyn,

10 mg, round, white

Image of Staxyn
slide 1 of 10

Levitra

slide 2 of 10, Levitra,

2.5 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 2.5

Image of Levitra
slide 2 of 10

Levitra

slide 3 of 10, Levitra,

5 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 5

Image of Levitra
slide 3 of 10

Levitra

slide 4 of 10, Levitra,

10 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 10

Image of Levitra
slide 4 of 10

Levitra

slide 5 of 10, Levitra,

20 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 20

Image of Levitra
slide 5 of 10

Levitra

slide 6 of 10, Levitra,

20 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 20

Image of Levitra
slide 6 of 10

Levitra

slide 7 of 10, Levitra,

10 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 10

Image of Levitra
slide 7 of 10

Levitra

slide 8 of 10, Levitra,

10 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 10

Image of Levitra
slide 8 of 10

Levitra

slide 9 of 10, Levitra,

20 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER, 20

Image of Levitra
slide 9 of 10

Levitra

slide 10 of 10, Levitra,

5 mg, round, orange, imprinted with BAYER BAYER, 5

Image of Levitra
slide 10 of 10

What is the most important information I should know about vardenafil?

Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used with vardenafil. Tell your doctor about all your medicines, especially riociguat (Adempas).

Do not take vardenafil if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems, including nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, and some recreational drugs such as "poppers". Taking vardenafil with a nitrate medicine can cause a sudden and serious decrease in blood pressure.

Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.

Stop using vardenafil and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.

What is vardenafil?

Vardenafil relaxes muscles of the blood vessels and increases blood flow to particular areas of the body.

Vardenafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence).

Vardenafil may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking vardenafil?

You should not use vardenafil if you are allergic to it, or if you take other medicines to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, such as riociguat (Adempas).

Vardenafil is not approved for men younger than 18 years old.

Do not take vardenafil if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems. This includes nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, and isosorbide mononitrate. Nitrates are also found in some recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite ("poppers"). Taking vardenafil with a nitrate medicine can cause a sudden and serious decrease in blood pressure.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

  • heart disease, heart rhythm problems;
  • a heart attack, stroke, or congestive heart failure;
  • long QT syndrome (in you or a family member);
  • high or low blood pressure;
  • seizures;
  • liver disease, kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);
  • a blood cell disorder such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia;
  • a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia;
  • a stomach ulcer;
  • hearing or vision problems, vision loss;
  • an eye disorder such as retinitis pigmentosa (an inherited condition of the eye);
  • a physical deformity of the penis (such as Peyronie's disease); or
  • if you have been told you should not have sexual intercourse for health reasons.

Vardenafil can decrease blood flow to the optic nerve of the eye, causing sudden vision loss. This has occurred in a small number of people, most of whom also had heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and in those who smoked or were over 50 years old. It is not clear whether vardenafil is the actual cause of vision loss.

Staxyn may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using this form of vardenafil if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).

Vardenafil is not for use in women, and the effects of this medicine during pregnancy or in breastfeeding women are unknown.

How should I take vardenafil?

Staxyn (vardenafil disintegrating tablets) should not be used in place of Levitra (vardenafil regular tablets). Avoid medication errors by using only the form and strength your doctor prescribes.

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Vardenafil can be taken with or without food.

Remove an orally disintegrating (Staxyn) tablet from the package only when you are ready to take the medicine. Place the tablet in your mouth and allow it to dissolve without chewing. Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves. Do not take Staxyn with liquid.

Vardenafil is taken only when needed, about 60 minutes before sexual activity. The medicine can help achieve an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. An erection will not occur just by taking a pill.

Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

If you receive medical care for heart problems, tell your caregivers when you last took vardenafil.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since vardenafil is used as needed, you are not likely to be on a dosing schedule.

Do not take vardenafil more than once a day. Allow 24 hours to pass between doses.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should I avoid while taking vardenafil?

Grapefruit may interact with vardenafil and lead to unwanted side effects. Avoid the use of grapefruit products.

Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of vardenafil.

Do not use any other drug to treat impotence unless your doctor tells you to.

What are the possible side effects of vardenafil?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop taking vardenafil and get emergency medical help if you have:

  • heart attack symptoms --chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;
  • vision changes or sudden vision loss; or
  • erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours (prolonged erection can damage the penis).

Stop using vardenafil and call your doctor at once if you have:

  • ringing in your ears, or sudden hearing loss;
  • irregular heartbeat;
  • swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;
  • shortness of breath;
  • a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
  • penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer; or
  • seizure (convulsions).

Common side effects may include:

  • flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling);
  • stuffy nose, sinus pain;
  • headache, dizziness;
  • upset stomach; or
  • back pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect vardenafil?

Do not take vardenafil with similar medications such as avanafil (Stendra), sildenafil (Viagra), or tadalafil (Cialis). Tell your doctor about all other medications you use for erectile dysfunction.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

  • an antibiotic --clarithromycin, erythromycin;
  • antifungal medicine --itraconazole, ketoconazole;
  • drugs to treat high blood pressure or a prostate disorder --alfuzosin, doxazosin, prazosin, silodosin, terazosin, tamsulosin;
  • heart rhythm medicine --amiodarone, dronedarone, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol; or
  • HIV/AIDS medicine --atazanavir, indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, and others.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect vardenafil. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about vardenafil.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

© 2019 Cigna. All rights reserved
Language Assistance

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Group Universal Life (GUL) insurance plans are insured by CGLIC. Life (other than GUL), accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and disability plans are insured or administered by Life Insurance Company of North America, except in NY, where insured plans are offered by Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York (New York, NY). All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

 Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details