Viagra® ODT in Singapore: Viagra ODT (orodispersible tablet) is the trade name for a medication which is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. This formulation is dissolved under the tongue.
Package leaflet: Information for the patient
VIAGRA 50 mg orodispersible tablets
Sildenafil
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
What is in this leaflet:
- What VIAGRA is and what it is used for
- What you need to know before you take VIAGRA
- How to take VIAGRA
- Possible side effects
- How to store VIAGRA
- Contents of the pack and other information
1. What VIAGRA is and what it is used for
VIAGRA contains the active substance sildenafil which belongs to a group of medicines called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. It works by helping to relax the blood vessels in your penis, allowing blood to flow into your penis when you get sexually excited. VIAGRA will only help you to get an erection if you are sexually stimulated.
VIAGRA is a treatment for adult men with erectile dysfunction, sometimes known as impotence. This is when a man cannot get, or keep a hard, erect penis suitable for sexual activity.
2. What you need to know before you take VIAGRA
Do not take VIAGRA
- If you are allergic to sildenafil or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- If you are taking medicines called nitrates, as the combination may lead to a dangerous fall in your blood Tell your doctor if you are taking any of these medicines which are often given for relief of angina pectoris (or “chest pain”). If you are not certain, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- If you are using any of the medicines known as nitric oxide donors such as amyl nitrite (“poppers”), as the combination may also lead to a dangerous fall in your blood pressure.
- If you are taking riociguat. This drug is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure in the lungs) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure in the lungs secondary to blood clots). PDE5 inhibitors, such as VIAGRA have been shown to increase the hypotensive effects of this medicine. If you are taking riociguat or are unsure tell your doctor.
- If you have a severe heart or liver problem.
- If you have recently had a stroke or a heart attack, or if you have low blood pressure.
- If you have certain rare inherited eye diseases (such as retinitis pigmentosa).
- If you have ever had loss of vision due to non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION).
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking VIAGRA
- If you have sickle cell anaemia (an abnormality of red blood cells), leukaemia (cancer of blood cells), multiple myeloma (cancer of bone marrow).
- If you have a deformity of your penis or Peyronie’s Disease.
- If you have problems with your Your doctor should carefully check whether your heart can take the additional strain of having sex.
- If you currently have a stomach ulcer, or a bleeding problems (such as haemophilia).
- If you experience sudden decrease or loss of vision, stop taking VIAGRA and contact your doctor immediately.
You should not use VIAGRA with any other oral or local treatments for erectile dysfunction.
You should not use VIAGRA with treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) containing sildenafil or any other PDE5 inhibitors.
You should not take VIAGRA if you do not have erectile dysfunction.
You should not take VIAGRA if you are a woman.
Special considerations for patients with kidney or liver problems
You should tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems. Your doctor may decide on a lower dose for you.
Children and adolescents
VIAGRA should not be given to individuals under the age of 18.
Other medicines and VIAGRA
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
VIAGRA tablets may interfere with some medicines, especially those used to treat chest pain. In the event of a medical emergency, you should tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse that you have taken VIAGRA and when you did. Do not take VIAGRA with other medicines unless your doctor tells you that you can.
You should not take VIAGRA if you are taking medicines called nitrates, as the combination of these medicines may lead to a dangerous fall in your blood pressure. Always tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking any of these medicines that are often used for the relief of angina pectoris (or “chest pain”).
You should not take VIAGRA if you are using any of the medicines known as nitric oxide donors such as amyl nitrite (“poppers”) as the combination may also lead to a dangerous fall in your blood pressure.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are already taking riociguat.
If you are taking medicines known as protease inhibitors, such as for the treatment of HIV, your doctor may start you on the lowest dose (25 mg film-coated tablets) of VIAGRA.
Some patients who take alpha-blocker therapy for the treatment of high blood pressure or prostate enlargement may experience dizziness or light-headedness, which may be caused by low blood pressure upon sitting or standing up quickly. Certain patients have experienced these symptoms when taking VIAGRA with alpha-blockers. This is most likely to happen within 4 hours after taking VIAGRA. To reduce the chance that these symptoms might happen, you should be on a regular daily dose of your alpha-blocker before you start VIAGRA. Your doctor may start you on a lower dose (25 mg film-coated tablets) of VIAGRA.
VIAGRA with alcohol
Drinking alcohol can temporarily impair your ability to get an erection. To get the maximum benefit from your medicine, you are advised not to drink excessive amounts of alcohol before taking VIAGRA.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
VIAGRA is not indicated for use by women.
Driving and using machines
VIAGRA can cause dizziness and can affect vision. You should be aware of how you react to VIAGRA before you drive or use machinery.
3. How to take VIAGRA
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The recommended dose is 50 mg.
You should not take VIAGRA more than once a day.
Do not take VIAGRA orodispersible tablets in combination with film-coated tablets containing sildenafil including VIAGRA film-coated tablets.
You should take VIAGRA about one hour before you plan to have sex. The amount of time VIAGRA takes to work varies from person to person, but it normally takes between half an hour and one hour.
Place the orodispersible tablet in the mouth, on the tongue, where it will dissolve in seconds, then swallow with saliva or water.
The orodispersible tablets should be taken on an empty stomach as you may find that it takes longer to start working if you take it with a heavy meal.
If you require a second 50 mg orodispersible tablet to make a 100 mg dose, you should wait until the first one has completely disintegrated and you have swallowed it before taking the second orodispersible tablet.
If you feel that the effect of VIAGRA is too strong or too weak, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
VIAGRA will only help you to get an erection if you are sexually stimulated.
If VIAGRA does not help you to get an erection, or if your erection does not last long enough for you to complete sexual intercourse you should tell your doctor.
If you take more VIAGRA than you should:
You may experience an increase in side effects and their severity. Doses above 100 mg do not increase the efficacy.
You should not take more tablets than your doctor tells you to.
Contact your doctor if you take more tablets than you should.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects although not everybody gets them. The side effects reported in association with the use of VIAGRA are usually mild to moderate and of a short duration.
If you experience any of the following serious side effects stop taking VIAGRA and seek medical help immediately:
- An allergic reaction – this occurs uncommonly (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Symptoms include sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing or dizziness, swelling of the eyelids, face, lips or throat. - Chest pains (this occurs uncommonly)
If this occurs during or after intercourse:- Get in a semi-sitting position and try to relax.
- Do not use nitrates to treat your chest pain.
- Prolonged and sometimes painful erections – this occurs rarely (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people).
If you have an erection which lasts for more than 4 hours, you should contact a doctor immediately. - A sudden decrease or loss of vision – this occurs rarely
- Seizures or fits – this occurs rarely.
Other side effects:
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people): headache.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people): nausea, facial flushing, hot flush (symptoms include a sudden feeling of heat in your upper body), indigestion, colour tinge to vision, blurred vision, visual disturbance, stuffy nose and dizziness.
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people): vomiting, skin rash, bloodshot eyes /red eyes, eye pain, seeing flashes of light, visual brightness, light sensitivity, pounding heartbeat, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, muscle pain, feeling sleepy, vertigo, dry mouth, blocked or stuffy sinuses, inflammation of the lining of the nose (symptoms include runny nose, sneezing and stuffy nose), upper abdominal pain, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (symptoms include heartburn), pain in the arms or legs, nosebleed and feeling hot.
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people): fainting, stroke, heart attack, irregular heartbeat, temporary decreased blood flow to parts of the brain, feeling of tightening of the throat, numb mouth, bleeding at the back of the eyes, double vision, reduced sharpness of vision, abnormal sensation in the eye, swelling of the eye or eyelid, seeing halos around lights, eye irritation, watery eyes, dry nose, swelling of the inside of the nose and feeling irritable and sudden decrease or loss of hearing.
From post-marketing experience cases of unstable angina (a heart condition) and sudden death have been reported rarely. Of note, most, but not all, of the men who experienced these side effects had heart problems before taking this medicine. It is not possible to determine whether these events were directly related to VIAGRA.
If you get any side effects, talk to you doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
5. How to store VIAGRA
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and blister after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not store above 30°C. Store in the original package, in order to protect from moisture.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What VIAGRA contains
- The active substance is sildenafil. Each orodispersible tablet contains 50 mg of sildenafil (as the citrate salt).
- The other ingredients are:
- microcrystalline cellulose, silica hydrophobic colloidal, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, indigo carmine aluminium lake (E132), sucralose, mannitol, crospovidone, polyvinyl acetate, povidone,
- flavouring containing: maltodextrin and dextrin,
- natural flavouring containing: maltodextrin, glycerol (E422) and propylene glycol (E1520),
- lemon flavouring containing: maltodextrin and alpha-tocopherol (E307).
What VIAGRA looks like and contents of the pack
VIAGRA orodispersible tablets are blue, diamond shape, marked “V50” on one side. The orodispersible tablets are provided in blister packs containing 4 tablets.
VGRODT-SIN-0719/PIL/0
Date of last revision: July 2019
References
Help me with my ED! (erectile dysfunction)
2019 July – https://www.erectiledysfunction.sg/wp-content/uploads/Viagra-Orodispersible-Tablet-50mg-PIL.pdf
2016 January – https://www.erectiledysfunction.sg/wp-content/uploads/VIAGRA-ODT-TABLET-50MG-PI.pdf