Vardenafil

Vardenafil is a medication for erectile dysfunction that’s known as a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. It contains the active ingredient vardenafil hydrochloride, which works within 25 to 60 minutes to help you get and keep an erection that’s hard enough for sexual activity.

By stopping the enzyme PDE5 from working, vardenafil can relax the blood vessels and increase blood flow to the penis. This can help you to get and maintain an erection.

You won’t get an erection from taking vardenafil alone, you’ll still need to be sexually aroused to get one and to be sexually stimulated to maintain it.

You should take vardenafil 25 to 60 minutes before any sexual activity to give it time to work. After taking vardenafil, the effects can last between 4 to 5 hours. During this time, you should find it easier to get an erection that’s hard enough for sex. Clinical trials found that 80% of men achieved successful penetration when taking the highest dose of vardenafil compared to 49% taking a placebo pill.

You don’t need to take vardenafil every day, just when you plan to have sex. It’s best to take it 25 minutes to an hour before sex to give it time to work. Don’t worry if it’s longer than this before sex as the medication will continue to work for 4 to 5 hours.

You can take the tablet with or without food, but fatty foods may slow down how quickly it works. Vardenafil tablets come in different dosage strengths: 5mg, 10mg, and 20mg.

Your dose should always be decided by a doctor who would take into account other medications and health problems that you have.

Vardenafil 5mg

A lower dose of 5mg may be suggested for people with liver problems or poor kidney function. People taking certain medications, like alpha blockers and certain antibiotics, may also need to take a lower 5mg dose of vardenafil.

A lower dose can still be very effective, and studies suggest that 68% of men taking a 5mg dose of vardenafil experienced successful penetration.

Vardenafil 10mg

This is the standard starting dose of vardenafil. Most men will be started on this dose unless a doctor has specifically recommended a higher dose after an assessment of health. When taking a standard vardenafil dose of 10mg, 76% of men are able to experience successful penetration.

Vardenafil 20mg

A dose of 20mg is typically prescribed when someone isn’t getting the results they want with a lower dose. This vardenafil dosage may not be suitable for older men or people with certain health issues. At the highest dose of 20mg, 80% of men achieve successful penetration when taking vardenafil.

Do not take more than one dose of vardenafil within a 24 hour period. Always refer to the medication instructions before taking it.

Although many people take vardenafil without any problems, some people do experience side effects. Headaches are the most common side effect and can affect more than 10% of people who take vardenafil.

Other common side effects that impact 1 in 10 to 100 people include:

• dizziness
• flushing
• stuffy nose
• indigestion

Uncommon side effects that affect between 1 in 100 and 1000 people include:

• airway swelling
• sleep disorders
• drowsiness
• pins and needles or feeling of strange skin sensations
• visual changes, eye pain or discomfort, sensitivity to light
• feeling like the room is spinning (vertigo)
• ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• sinus congestion
• shortness of breath
• acid reflux
• abdominal pain or discomfort
• vomiting and/or nausea
• diarrhoea
• dry mouth
• increased liver and other enzymes on a blood test
• back pain
• muscle pain, increased muscle tone, muscle cramps
• increased erections
• feeling unwell

Other side effects are rare, but between 1 in 1000 and 10,000 people may experience:

• allergic reactions
• anxiety
• conjunctivitis
• fainting
• seizures
• amnesia
• amini-stroke or transient ischemic attack
• teary eyes, increased eye pressure
• chest pain, including heart attacks
• nosebleeds
• high or low blood pressure
• skin sensitivity to light
• an erection that won’t go down (priapism)

Side effects usually only last a few hours or days and should get better with time. However, if your side effects persist or become severe, bothersome or begin to affect your day-to-day life, speak to your doctor.

In an emergency situation, such as if someone loses consciousness, becomes very confused, experiences chest pain or is struggling to breathe, call 999 immediately.

If you experience an erection that lasts for longer than 4 hours, you should also seek immediate medical help.

Although vardenafil is an effective treatment, it may not always be right for everyone. Anyone allergic to vardenafil or any of the non-active ingredients in the medication should not take vardenafil. When being prescribed vardenafil, you should inform your doctor of your medical history so that they can assess whether the treatment is suitable for you.

People assigned female at birth should not take vardenafil and there is limited research investigating what may happen if they do.

Health conditions and vardenafil

People with certain health problems should avoid taking vardenafil, including:

• vision loss in one eye due to non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy
• severe liver impairment
• very low blood pressure
• kidney failure
• a stroke or heart attack within the last 6 months
• severe cardiovascular problems including unstable angina and severe heart failure
• deformity of the penis
• sickle cell disease
• leukaemia or multiple myeloma

If you think you may be in one of these categories, it’s always best to discuss it with a healthcare professional.

Medications and vardenafil

Vardenafil can also interact with certain medications which may stop them from working as they should or even be potentially dangerous.

You should avoid taking vardenafil with:

• nitrates (‘poppers’) or nitric oxide donors
• CYP3A4 inhibitors like ketoconazole, itraconazole, or HIV protease inhibitors
• alpha blockers

It’s important to discuss any medications you take with your prescriber before taking vardenafil. They’ll be able to advise you whether it’s safe to take them together.

Vardenafil and the branded version Levitra are prescription-only medications. This means you need a prescription from your GP, private doctor, or from a regulated online doctor service like ASDA.

An NHS doctor can only provide a prescription for vardenafil if your erectile dysfunction is caused by certain health conditions, but you don’t need to meet this criteria for a private prescription.

Vardenafil cannot be bought online without a prescription. Any websites offering this are unregulated and may be selling counterfeit medication. You can request vardenafil online from Asda Online Doctor, by following these simple steps:

1. Complete our quick and easy online questionnaire. We only ask questions that are required to make sure your chosen treatment is safe and suitable for you.
2. One of our doctors will check your questionnaire and will approve vardenafil if it is a suitable treatment for you.
3. Once approved, you can choose vardenafil to be delivered to your home address fast and discreetly, or you can collect it from your local Asda Pharmacy.

If you can’t take vardenafil or you’re not getting the results you want, you may decide to try an alternative erectile dysfunction treatment.

Other erectile dysfunction medications belong to the same PDE5 inhibitor family as vardenafil but have some slight differences. Asda Online Doctor offers a variety of medications to choose from.

Vardenafil vs Viagra

Viagra may be a suitable alternative for vardenafil if you experience side effects when taking it. Viagra contains the active ingredient sildenafil which works similarly to vardenafil. Viagra needs to be taken at least 30 minutes to an hour before sex to work, whereas vardenafil starts working from as few as 25 minutes. Both Viagra and vardenafil should only be taken once daily.

Although Viagra and non-branded sildenafil need a prescription, Viagra Connect can be purchased over the counter after a discussion with the pharmacist.

Vardenafil vs tadalafil

Tadalafil is an erectile dysfunction medication that’s usually taken as needed, but can be taken daily at a lower dose. It should be taken at least 30 minutes before sex to be effective and can last up to 36 hours.

Vardenafil vs Spedra

Spedra is another alternative erectile dysfunction medication that contains the active ingredient avanafil. It works in as few as 15 minutes to help you achieve an erection that’s hard enough for sex. Spedra is also a prescription-only medication.

Alternatives to erectile dysfunction medications include vacuum devices (otherwise known as penis pumps) and creams that are applied directly to the penis like Vitaros cream. The ASDA Online Doctor team can discuss erectile dysfunction and the alternative options with you to help you decide what the best option is for you.