Learn more – Sildenafil
What is Sildenafil?
Sildenafil is a well-known brand which is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in adult men. This is when a man cannot get, or keep a hard, erect penis suitable for sexual activity. It works by relaxing the blood vessels in your penis, allowing blood to flow into your penis when you get sexually excited.
Sildenafil will only help you get an erection if you are sexually stimulated.
How do I take Sildenafil?
- Take ONE tablet 30–60 minutes before you plan to have sex. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.
- Do NOT take it with grapefruit/grapefruit juice as it may increase plasma levels of sildenafil.
- Sildenafil is safe to take with food, however a heavy meal may take longer to work.
Advice
You may need to take Sildenafil on several different occasions (max once a day) before you achieve a penile erection satisfactory for sexual activity. If after several attempts (max 8 times) on different occasions patients are unable to achieve a penile erection, you should seek advice from your GP.
You should tell your GP if you have started Viagra ® or Sildenafil (generic) tablets.
Side effects
Headache, nausea, flushing, dyspepsia, nasal congestion, dizziness, visual disturbance, blue-tinted vision, blurred vision.
STOP taking the medication and seek medical advice if you experience: Chest pains; a persistent/painful erection lasting longer than 4 hours; a sudden decrease or loss of vision; an allergic reaction (sudden wheeziness, difficulty breathing or dizziness, swelling of the eyelids, face, lips or throat); serious skin reactions such as Stevens–Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Syndrome (TEN) (severe peeling and swelling of the skin, blistering of the mouth, genitals and around the eyes, fever); seizures or fits.
Patient information leaflet – Sildenafil
