Sildenafil Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Sildenafil Tablet, known generically as sildenafil, is a prescription medicine belonging to the PDE5 inhibitor class. It is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in adult men and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in adults and some children, depending on the form and strength prescribed. It works by widening blood vessels to improve blood flow, supporting erections during sexual stimulation and easing strain on the heart in PAH.

What is Sildenafil Tablet

Sildenafil is a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in adult men and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in adults and some children, depending on the form and strength prescribed. It belongs to a class of medicines called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, also known as agents for pulmonary hypertension and impotence medications.

Sildenafil Tablet uses

• Treats erectile dysfunction (ED) in adult men
• Treats pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in adults and children

Benefits of Sildenafil Tablet

• Helps you get and keep an erection when you are sexually stimulated
• Widens blood vessels in the lungs, which can improve exercise capacity in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Erectile Dysfunction Support: Helps improve blood flow to the penis to support erections
• Improved Sexual Function: Helps men achieve and maintain an erection when sexually stimulated

How Sildenafil Tablet works

Sildenafil blocks an enzyme called PDE5, which normally breaks down a substance that relaxes smooth muscle. By stopping this breakdown, sildenafil helps blood vessels relax and widen. In the penis, this increases blood flow to help produce an erection during sexual stimulation. In the lungs, it relaxes blood vessels to lower pulmonary blood pressure and ease the workload on the heart.

Sildenafil Tablet dosage

For erectile dysfunction, take the tablet about 1 hour before sexual activity, though it can be taken anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours beforehand. Do not take more than once a day. Take with or without food, but a high-fat meal may make it take a little longer to start working. Sildenafil only helps you get an erection when you are sexually stimulated; it will not cause an erection on its own.

For pulmonary arterial hypertension, tablets are usually taken three times a day, spaced about 4 to 6 hours apart, at approximately the same times each day.

Do not change your dose or stop taking this medicine on your own; talk to your doctor first. If you take too much, contact your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablets (20 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg)
• Injection (10 mg/12.5 mL)
• Oral suspension (10 mg/mL)

Side effects of Sildenafil Tablet

Common

• Headache
• Flushing
• Upset stomach (indigestion)
• Abnormal vision, such as changes in color vision or blurred vision
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Back pain
• Muscle pain
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Rash
• Bleeding nose
• Sleeplessness (insomnia)
• Shortness of breath

Serious

• An erection that will not go away (priapism)
• Sudden vision loss in one or both eyes
• Sudden hearing decrease or hearing loss, sometimes with ringing in the ears or dizziness
• Heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeats
• Low blood pressure causing fainting or dizziness
• Increased shortness of breath in people being treated for pulmonary arterial hypertension

Warnings and precautions

• Do not take sildenafil with nitrate medicines used for chest pain or heart problems, or with recreational drugs called "poppers," because the combination can cause a sudden, dangerous drop in blood pressure.
• Do not take sildenafil together with riociguat, a medicine also used for pulmonary hypertension, as this combination is not recommended.
• Do not take Viagra and Revatio together, since both contain sildenafil and combining them raises the risk of side effects.
• Sexual activity can put extra strain on the heart, so people with heart disease should be cautious, and sildenafil does not protect against sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
• Sildenafil should not be used in certain people with serious heart or blood vessel conditions, uncontrolled blood pressure, certain eye diseases, or after a recent stroke or heart attack.
• Sildenafil is not expected to harm an unborn baby, but you should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. 
• Women being treated for pulmonary arterial hypertension should not stop taking sildenafil without talking to their doctor first.
• It is not known whether sildenafil passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
• People with kidney problems, including those on dialysis, should tell their doctor before taking sildenafil, since the medicine may need to be used with caution.
• People with liver problems should tell their doctor before taking sildenafil, as the drug may stay in the body longer and effects may be increased.
• Drinking alcohol with sildenafil can cause side effects, so it should be used cautiously.

Storage

• Store sildenafil tablets and oral film at room temperature, between 20°C and 25°C (68°F and 77°F)
• Keep out of reach of children
• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light
• Keep from freezing
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed
• Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use

When to see a doctor

• Get medical help right away if you have an erection lasting more than 4 hours, as untreated priapism can permanently damage the penis.
• Stop taking sildenafil and call your healthcare provider right away if you have sudden vision loss in one or both eyes.
• Stop taking sildenafil and contact a doctor right away if you have sudden hearing loss or decrease in hearing, possibly with ringing in the ears or dizziness.
• Stop sexual activity and get medical help right away if you have chest pain, dizziness, or nausea during sex.
• If you feel faint or dizzy from low blood pressure, lie down right away.
• Tell your doctor if you become more short of breath than usual after starting sildenafil for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• If you accidentally take too much sildenafil, call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Alternatives

• Tadalafil
• Avanafil
• Mirodenafil