Tadalafil : Drug Information
What is Tadalafil?
Tadalafil is commonly available under the brand name called Cialis. It belongs to the class of medication called PDE-5 inhibitor. It is a prescription medication to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), erectile dysfunction (ED). It works by relaxing muscles of blood vessels and increasing blood circulation to the body’s required part. You can avail of this medication in oral form with a proper prescription from the doctor.
What to know before taking tadalafil?
You should avoid using tadalafil if you are allergic to it or any of its components or if you have or ever had used the following medications:
- Nitrate drugs such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, or other recreational drugs like amyl nitrate.
- Riociguat medication (used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension)
To ensure that tadalafil is safe for you, you should tell your doctor if you have or ever had the following medical condition:
- Heart disease
- Heart rhythm disorder
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Angina (chest pain)
- High or low blood pressure
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary Veno-occlusive illness (a condition in which the veins that carry blood from the lungs to the heart becomes narrow)
- Liver infections
- Kidney disease or if you are on regular dialysis
- Loss of vision
- Retinitis pigmentosa ( it is an inherited condition of the eyes)
- Bleeding disorder
- Blood cell disorder such as anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia
- Physical deformity of male reproductive organs
- Stomach ulcer
- Other health issues that make intimacy unsafe.
Expecting women and lactating mothers should consult their doctor before taking this medication. The doctors should not recommend tadalafil to treat patients below 18 years of age.
How to take tadalafil?
It would be best if you take tadalafil as and when prescribed by the doctor. Please don’t take it more often than prescribed. The doctor may increase or decrease your dosage if he thinks fit. You must follow all the instructions provided on the prescription label and medicine. You can have this medication with or without food.
Tadalafil dosage
The dosage of tadalafil prescribed by the doctor is dependent on several factors, such as :
- The age of the patient
- Symptoms
- The seriousness of the condition
- Other medical issues that the patient is having
- Other medications that the patient is using
- How the patient reacted to the first dose of the medication
The doctor may prescribe the dosage of tadalafil according to the different medical conditions of the patient:
Dosage for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
For older adults (65 years or above)
The process of drugs in older adults’ bodies is slightly slow; therefore, doctors should prescribe the required dosage for this age group’s patients after a full examination.
For adults (18-64 years of age)
Daily one tablet of 5 mg once a day. It would help if you tried to be consistent during the medication. Your doctor may increase or decrease the dosage if he thinks fit.
For children (below 18 years of age)
Doctors should not recommend tadalafil for the patient below 18 years of age.
Dosage for erectile dysfunction (ED)
For older adults (65 years or above)
The process of drugs in older adults’ bodies is slightly slow; therefore, doctors should prescribe the required dosage for this age group’s patients after a full examination.
For adults (18-64 years of age)
The doctor may recommend you to have 10 mg of tadalafil before you expect to have sexual activity. Your doctor may increase or decrease the dosage if he thinks it fits to do so.
For children (below 18 years of age)
Doctors should not recommend tadalafil for the patient below 18 years of age.
Dosage for benign prostatic hyperplasia and erectile dysfunction (ED/BPH)
For older adults (65 years or above)
The process of drugs in older adults’ bodies is slightly slow; therefore, doctors should prescribe the required dosage for this age group’s patients after a full examination.
For adults (18-64 years of age)
Daily one tablet of 5 mg once a day. It would help if you tried to be consistent during the medication. Your doctor may increase or decrease the dosage if he thinks fit.
For children (below 18 years of age)
Doctors should not recommend tadalafil for the patient below 18 years of age.
Dosage for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
For older adults (65 years or above)
The process of drugs in older adults’ bodies is slightly slow; therefore, doctors should prescribe the required dosage for this age group’s patients after a full examination.
For adults (18-64 years of age)
Daily two tablets of 20 mg once a day. It would help if you tried to be consistent during the medication. Your doctor may increase or decrease the dosage if he thinks fit.
For children (below 18 years of age)
Doctors should not recommend tadalafil for the patient below 18 years of age.
Overdose
There are no specific tadalafil overdose symptoms, but if you ever feel uneasy while taking this medication, you can consult your doctor and seek a medical assistant. You can also call the poison helpline at 1-800-222-1222.
What to avoid while using tadalafil?
You should avoid drinking alcohol till the time you are under the effect of tadalafil; otherwise, you may face a sudden drop in your blood pressure level, dizziness, or fainting.
It would be best to avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice as it may interact with tadalafil and result in dangerous situations.
Tadalafil side effects
Some of the common side effects of using tadalafil are as follows:
- Headache
- Stuffy nose
- Back pain
- Muscles pain
- Pain in arms and legs
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
- Flushing (tingly feeling, redness, warmth)
The list as mentioned above of symptoms is inclusive. You may experience other symptoms too.
You must stop taking the medicines and consult your doctor if you experience the following side effects symptoms:
- Lightheadedness
- An erection is painful, and the pain lasts more than four hours.
- Sudden loss of vision
- Sudden loss of hearing
- A heart attack’s sudden symptoms include chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, and sweating.
What drugs can interact with tadalafil?
If your doctor is treating you with tadalafil, he must be knowing all the possible interactions with other drugs. It is your responsibility to tell the doctor about all the over the counter medicines you take or taken in the past few days. The following medicines may interact with tadalafil:
- Anti-biotic medications
- Anti-fungal mediations
- Antiviral medicines to treat HIV, or hepatitis C
- Seizure medications
- Drug to treat high blood pressure
- Drug to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension
- Medicine to treat the prostate disorder
- Medicine to treat erectile dysfunction
- Vitamin supplements
- Herbal products
- Any special diet