What is Cialis used for?
Cialis
is a prescription medicine taken by mouth for the treatment of erectile
dysfunction (ED) in men. ED
is a condition where the penis does not harden and expand when a man is
sexually excited, or when he cannot keep an erection. A man who has
trouble getting or keeping an erection should see his doctor for help if
the condition bothers him. Cialis may help a
man with ED get and keep an erection when he is sexually excited.
Cialis
does not:
- cure
ED
- increase
a man?s sexual desire
- protect
a man or his partner from sexually transmitted diseases, including
HIV. Speak to your doctor about ways to guard against sexually
transmitted diseases.
- serve
as a male form of birth control.
Cialis
is only for men with ED. Cialis
is not for women or children. Cialis must be
used only under a doctor?s care.
Who should not use Cialis?
Special
Warnings with Cialis:
Cialis
can cause your blood pressure to drop suddenly to an unsafe level if it is
taken with certain other medicines such as nitrates and alpha-blockers,
and recreational drugs that contain nitrates called "poppers".
A sudden drop in your blood pressure could cause you to become
dizzy, faint, or have a heart attack or stroke.
Tell
all your healthcare providers that you take Cialis.
If you need emergency medical care for a heart problem, it will
be important for your healthcare provider to know when you last took Cialis.
Who
should not take Cialis?
Do
not take Cialis if you:
- take
any medicines called ?nitrates?
- use
recreational drugs called "poppers like amyl nitrate and butyl
nitrate
- take
medicines called ?alpha blockers?, other than Flomax?
0.4
mg daily
- have
been told by your healthcare provider to not have sexual activity
because of health problems
- are
allergic to Cialis or any of its
ingredients
What
should I tell my health care provider?
Tell
your health care provider if you:
- have
heart problems such as angina, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, or
have had a heart attack
- have
low blood pressure or have high blood pressure that is not controlled
- have
had a stroke
- have
liver problems
- have
kidney problems or require dialysis
- have
retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic (runs
in families) eye disease
- have
stomach ulcers
- have
a bleeding problem
- have
a deformed penis shape or Peyronie?s
disease
- have
had an erection that lasted more than 4 hours
- have
blood cell problems such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma,
or leukemia
Tell
your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and
non-prescription
medicines,
vitamins, and herbal supplements. Cialis and
other medicines may affect each other.
Especially
tell your doctor if you take any of the following:
- medicines
called nitrates
- medicines
called alpha blockers. These include Hytrin?
(terazosin),
Flomax?
(tamsulosin),
Cardura?
(doxazosin),
Minipress?
(prazosin)
or Uroxatral
(alfuzosin).
- ritonavir
(Norvir?)
or indinavir (Crixivan?)
- ketoconazole
or itraconazole (such as Nizoral?
or Sporanox?)
- erythromycin
- other
medicines or treatments for ED
What
are some possible side effects of Cialis?
(This list is NOT a complete list
of side effects reported with Cialis.
Your health care provider can discuss with you a more complete list
of side effects.)
The most common side effects with Cialis
are:
- headache
- indigestion
- back
pain
- muscle
aches
- flushing
- stuffy
or runny nose
These
side effects usually go away after a few hours. Patients who get back pain
and muscle aches usually get it 12 to 24 hours after taking Cialis.
Back pain and muscle aches usually go away by themselves within 48 hours.
Cialis
may uncommonly cause:
- an
erection that won?t go away (priapism)
- vision
changes, such as seeing a blue tinge to objects or having difficulty
telling the difference between the colors blue and green
For more detailed information about Cialis,
ask your health care provider or pharmacist.
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