Viagra

Special warnings about Viagra

If you have heart problems severe enough to make sexual activity a danger, you should avoid using Viagra. Use it cautiously--if at all--if you've had a heart attack, stroke, or life-threatening heart irregularities within the past 6 months. Be equally cautious if you have severe high or low blood pressure, heart failure, or unstable angina (crushing heart pain that occurs at any time).

If you take Viagra and develop cardiac symptoms (for example, dizziness, nausea, and chest pain) during sexual activity, do not continue. Alert your doctor to the problem as soon as possible.

If you have a condition that might result in long-lasting erections, such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma (a disease of the bone marrow), or leukemia, use Viagra with caution. Also use cautiously if you have a genital problem or deformity such as Peyronie's disease. If an erection lasts more than 4 hours, seek treatment immediately. Permanent damage and impotence could result.

If you have a bleeding disorder, a stomach ulcer, or the inherited eye condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, use this medication with caution. Its safety under these circumstances has not yet been studied.

To avoid low blood pressure, do not take the 50-milligram or 100-milligram dose of Viagra within 4 hours of taking an alpha-blocking drug such as Cardura.

Remember that Viagra offers no protection from transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Viagra

If Viagra is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Viagra with the following:

Other impotence remedies including Caverject and Muse
Alpha-blockers such as doxazosin (Cardura)
Amlodipine (Norvasc)
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Erythromycin (E-Mycin, Ery-Tab, PCE)
Itraconazole (Sporanox)
Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
Nitrates such as Isordil, Nitro-Bid, and Nitro-Dur
Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
Ritonavir (Norvir)
Saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase)