Drug Name

Suhagra (Sildenafil)

Drug Uses

Suhagra is an oral drug which is used to help male impotence also known as erectile dysfunction. The effect of this oral drug starts 30 minutes after consuming it and it lasts for five hours. Suhagra pills are designed to suit the men's sexual health.

How to use

The recommended dosage to take Suhagra for most patients is 50 mg. This should be taken half-an-hour to one hour before sexual activity. The dose can be increased based on the toleration and effectiveness of the medicine. The maximum recommended dosage is 100 mg. Suhagra isn't indicated for women.

Drug Class and Mechanism

Suhagra is a treatment for male erectile dysfunction. It works by blocking certain enzyme called phosphodiesterase-PDE5 in the body. The working of Suhagra mainly depends on Sildenafil that which helps the blood to flow into the penis to reach and maintain an erection. It works by relaxing the hardened arteries in the penis which is due to arteriosclerosis and increases the blood flow to the penis facilitating erection during sexual arousal.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of Suhagra, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Suhagra at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C), in a tightly closed container. Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Suhagra out of the reach of children and away from pets.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not take Suhagra, if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems, including nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, Minitran, Deponit, Transderm-Nitro), isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR, Isordil, Sorbitrate), and isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket), or recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite ("poppers").

Before taking Suhagra, tell your doctor about all other medications you use for erectile dysfunction, or if you are using any of the following medications:

•     bosentan (Tracleer);
•     a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
•     cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB);
•     an antibiotic such as erythromycin (E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab) or clarithromycin (Biaxin);
•     doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress), Terazosin (Hytrin);
•     HIV medicines such as amprenavir (Agenerase), tipranavir (Aptivus), darunavir (Prezista), efavirenz (Sustiva), nevirapine (Viramune), indinavir (Crixivan), saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), ritonavir (Norvir), atazanavir (Reyataz), or nelfinavir (Viracept);
•     an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox) or ketoconazole (Nizoral);
•     carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital (Luminal), or phenytoin (Dilantin); or
•     rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane) or rifabutin (Mycobutin).

Tell your doctor about all the prescriptions and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

If you have heart problems severe enough to make sexual activity a dangerous, you should avoid using Suhagra. Use it cautiously, 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.

In case of cardiac symptoms developing (for example, dizziness, nausea, and chest pain) during sexual activity, do not continue. Tell your doctor about 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 Suhagra 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 Suhagra with caution. Its safety under these circumstances has not been studied yet.

Possible Side Effects

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking Suhagra and seek emergency medical attention or notify your doctor immediately:

•     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;
•     swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;
•     shortness of breath;
•     vision changes;
•     feeling light-headed, fainting; or
•     penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.

Less serious side effects may include:

•     warmth or redness in your face, neck, or chest;
•     stuffy nose;
•     headache;
•     upset stomach; or
•     back pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

More Information

If you are older than 65 years, you can suffer Suhagra side effects. However, your physician may prescribe you a lower dose of this medication.