Sildenafil, Oral (Pulmonary Hypertension)

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: PDE-5 inhibitor; antihypertensive

Generic and brand names: sildenafil citrate, oral; Revatio

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat pulmonary hypertension.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• a heart attack, coronary artery disease, or chest pain
• a stroke
• arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
• bleeding problems such as hemophilia or conditions causing thickened blood or slower blood flow, such as leukemia; multiple myeloma (tumors of the bone marrow); polycythemia; sickle cell disease; or thrombocythemia
• high or low blood pressure or blood circulation problems
• kidney problems
• liver problems
• problems with dehydration
• retinitis pigmentosa (an eye disorder that causes loss of vision)
• stomach ulcers

Do not take this medicine if you are taking nitrate products (such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, or isosorbide mononitrate) for the treatment of angina (chest pain).

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take your dosage of this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Do not take more than prescribed.

You may take this medicine with or without food. High-fat meals may delay the effects of the medicine.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: chest pain, nausea, irregular heartbeat, lightheadedness fainting.

What should I watch out for?

Tell all of your healthcare providers that you take this medicine. If you need emergency medical care for a heart problem, it is very important you inform the healthcare provider when you last took this medicine.

This medicine may affect your vision. You may have trouble telling the difference between blue and green. Talk with your healthcare provider about this. If you have a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes, contact your healthcare provider or get medical help right away.

This medicine may cause sudden decrease or loss of hearing or ringing in the ears. If this occurs, contact your healthcare provider or get medical care right away.

This medicine may lower your blood pressure and cause you to feel dizzy or faint when you get up quickly after sitting or lying down. Getting up slowly may help. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Erection that is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours, dizziness, fainting, change in vision or abnormal vision (eyes sensitive to light, blurred vision, change in color vision), loss of hearing, rash, chest pain, fast or pounding heartbeat, worsening shortness of breath.

Other: Headache, nausea, flushing, diarrhea, stuffy nose, back pain, muscle aches trouble sleeping, nosebleeds, heartburn.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• alcohol
• alpha blockers such as terazosin (Hytrin), tamsulosin (Flomax), doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress), and alfuzosin (Uroxatral)
• antibiotics such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), doxycycline (Vibramycin), erythromycin (EES, Ery-tabs), isoniazid (Nydrazid), and rifabutin (Mycobutin)
• antifungals such as itraconazole (Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan), and ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• anti-HIV medicines such as efavirenz (Sustiva), nevirapine (Viramune), ritonavir (Norvir), indinavir sulfate (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), atazanavir (Reyataz), and amprenavir (Agenerase)
• antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital, primidone (Mysoline), and phenytoin (Dilantin)
• bosentan (Tracleer)
• cimetidine (Tagamet)
• nefazodone
• nitrates such as nitroglycerin (Nitrogard, Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitrong, Nitroglyn, Nitro-Dur, Nitrol, Transderm Nitro), isosorbide dinitrate or mononitrate (Imdur, Isordil, Sorbitrate, Dilatrate-SR), and amyl nitrite inhalant
• medicines to treat erectile dysfunction such as tadalafil (Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra)
• St. John's wort
• warfarin (Coumadin)

Do not drink alcohol unless your healthcare provider approves.

Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking this medicine. Grapefruit affects the way this medicine works and may increase the risk of side effects.

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.

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Published by RelayHealth.
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