tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)
Generic Name: tadalafil (Pronunciation: ta DAL a fil)
Tadalafil relaxes muscles and increases blood flow to particular areas of the body.
Tadalafil under the name of Cialis is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) and symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate). Another brand of tadalafil is Adcirca, which is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension and improve exercise capacity in men and women.
Tadalafil may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
Cialis 10 mg.
oval, yellow, imprinted with C 10.
Cialis 20 mg.
oval, yellow, imprinted with C 20.
Cialis 5 mg.
oval, yellow, imprinted with C 5.
What are the possible side effects of tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
If you become dizzy or nauseated during sexual activity, or if you have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw, stop and call your doctor right away. You could be having a serious side effect of tadalafil.
Stop using tadalafil and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
changes in vision or sudden vision loss; ringing in your ears, or sudden hearing loss; chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling; irregular heartbeat; shortness of breath, swelling in your hands or feet; seizure (convulsions); feeling light-headed, fainting; or penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.
Less serious side effects may include:
redness or warmth in your face, neck, or chest; cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, or sore throat; headache; memory problems; diarrhea, upset stomach; or muscle pain, back pain.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)?
Do not take tadalafil if you are allergic to it, or if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems, including nitroglycerin (Nitro Dur, Nitrolingual, Nitrostat, Transderm Nitro, and others), isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate, Isordil, Isochron), isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket), or recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite (“poppers”). Taking tadalafil with a nitrate medicine can cause a sudden and serious decrease in blood pressure.
If you become dizzy or nauseated during sexual activity, or if you have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw, stop and call your doctor right away. You could be having a serious side effect of tadalafil.
Do not take tadalafil more than once a day. Allow 24 hours to pass between doses.
Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.
Tadalafil can decrease blood flow to the optic nerve of the eye, causing sudden vision loss. This has occurred in a small number of people taking tadalafil, most of whom also had heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and in those who smoke or are over 50 years old. It is not clear whether tadalafil is the actual cause of vision loss.
Stop using tadalafil and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)?
You should not take tadalafil if you are allergic to it.
Tadalafil should not be used together with nitrate medication, such as nitroglycerin (Nitro Dur, Nitrolingual, Nitrostat, Transderm Nitro, and others), isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate, Isordil, Isochron), isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket), or recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite (“poppers”). Taking tadalafil with a nitrate medicine for chest pain or heart problems can cause a sudden and serious decrease in blood pressure.
To make sure you can safely take tadalafil, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
heart disease or heart rhythm problems; a recent heart attack (within the past 90 days); a recent history (in the past 6 months) of a stroke, or congestive heart failure; angina (chest pain), high or low blood pressure; liver disease; kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis); a blood cell disorder such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia; a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia; a stomach ulcer; retinitis pigmentosa (an inherited condition of the eye); a physical deformity of the penis (such as Peyronie’s disease); or if you have been told you should not have sexual intercourse for health reasons.
Tadalafil can decrease blood flow to the optic nerve of the eye, causing sudden vision loss. This has occurred in a small number of people taking tadalafil, most of whom also had heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and in those who smoke or are over 50 years old.
It is not clear whether tadalafil is the actual cause of vision loss. Stop using tadalafil and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.
FDA pregnancy category B. Tadalafil is not expected to harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with Adcirca.
It is not known whether tadalafil passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use Adcirca without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)?
Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Tadalafil can be taken with or without food.
Do not break or split a Cialis tablet. Swallow it whole.
Cialis is usually taken only once per day. Follow your doctor’s instructions. For erectile dysfunction, take the medicine just before sexual activity but not more than once per day.
Cialis can help achieve an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. An erection will not occur just by taking a pill. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
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Adcirca is usually taken once per day. Follow your doctor’s instructions. Do not take Cialis for erectile dysfunction if you are taking Adcirca for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Do not take tadalafil more than once a day. Allow 24 hours to pass between doses. If you take the medication daily, take it at the same time each day.
Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose (Adcirca, Cialis)?
If tadalafil is used as needed, you are not likely to be on a dosing schedule.
If you take tadalafil every day and you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose (Adcirca, Cialis)?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include chest pain, nausea, irregular heartbeat, and feeling light-headed or fainting.
What should I avoid while taking tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)?
Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of tadalafil.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with tadalafil and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.
Avoid using other medicines to treat erectile dysfunction, such as sildenafil (Viagra) or vardenafil (Levitra) while you are taking tadalafil.
What other drugs will affect tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)?
Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:
rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater, Rifamate), or rifapentine (Priftin); an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediazole), or telithromycin (Ketek); antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), miconazole (Oravig), or voriconazole (Vfend); an antidepressant such as nefazodone; a barbiturate such as phenobarbital (Solfoton); drugs to treat high blood pressure or a prostate disorder, such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress), terazosin (Hytrin), tamsulosin (Flomax); heart or blood pressure medication such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac), nicardipine (Cardene), quinidine (Quin-G), or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan); or HIV or AIDS medications such as darunavir (Prezista), efavirenz (Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence), nevirapine (Viramune), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra), and others; or seizure medications such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), and others.
This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with tadalafil. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about tadalafil.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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