Erectile dysfunction is treated with avanafil (ED: impotence; inability to get or keep an erection in men). Avanafil belongs to the group of drugs known as phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors. During sexual stimulation, it increases blood flow to the penis, which is how it functions. An erection may result from this increased blood flow. Neither erectile dysfunction nor increased sexual desire are treated by avanafil. Avanafil does not stop pregnancy or the transmission of sexually transmitted illnesses like the HIV virus (HIV).

Avanafil is available as an oral tablet. Avanafil is often taken by men taking the 100-mg or 200-mg doses with or without meals as needed, around 15 minutes prior to sexual activity. Avanafil is typically taken by men taking the 50-mg dose with or without meals as needed, roughly 30 minutes prior to sexual activity. Avanafil should not be taken more than once per 24 hours. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Administer avanafil precisely as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

A typical dose of avanafil will likely be prescribed by your doctor, who may then change it based on how you react to the drug. If avanafil isn’t working as well as it should or if you encounter any negative effects, tell your doctor.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking avanafil,

• If you have an allergy to avanafil, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in avanafil tablets, let your doctor and pharmacist know right once. For a list of the ingredients, consult the patient information or speak with your pharmacist.
• Riociguat (Adempas) and nitrates such as isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR, Isordil, in BiDil), isosorbide mononitrate (Monoket), and nitroglycerin should not be taken together with avanafil (Minitran, Nitro-Dur, Nitromist, Nitrostat, others). Pills, sublingual (under the tongue) tablets, sprays, patches, pastes, and ointments are all forms of nitrates. If you are unsure whether any of your drugs include nitrates, consult your doctor.
• Avoid using nitrate-containing illicit drugs like poppers (amyl and butyl nitrate) while taking avanafil.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Incorporate any of the following: alpha blockers like alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress), tamsulosin (Flomax, in Jalyn), silodosin (Rapaflo), and terazosin; some antifungal drugs like fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox), and ketoconazole (Nizoral); HIV protease inhibitors such as nelfinavir (Viracept), atazanavir (Reyataz, in Evotaz), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), and saquinavir (Invirase); additional drugs or treatments for erectile dysfunction; blood pressure meds; nefazodone; (Ketek). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects. Tell your doctor about all the drugs you are taking, even any not on this list, since many other drugs may also interact with avanafil.
• Inform your doctor if you’ve ever had medical advice to abstain from sexual activity, if you’ve recently undergone heart surgery, and if you’ve ever experienced an erection that lasted more than four hours. A heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeat, blocked artery, angina (chest discomfort), high or low blood pressure, angulation, cavernosal fibrosis, or Peyronie’s disease are all conditions that can influence the morphology of the penis, heart failure, leukaemia (cancer of the white blood cells), multiple myeloma (cancer of the plasma cells), sickle cell anaemia (a condition of the red blood cells), ulcers, bleeding issues, liver or renal illness, and bleeding difficulties. Additionally, let your doctor know if you have ever experienced severe vision loss or retinitis pigmentosa (a rare genetic eye illness), particularly if you were informed that the loss of vision was due to a blockage in the blood supply to the nerves that aid in vision.
• You should be aware that avanafil should only be used by men. Avanafil is not recommended for women, especially if they are, or may become, pregnant or nursing. Call your doctor if you take avanafil while pregnant.
• Discuss with your doctor how drinking alcohol while taking avanafil can be done safely. You’re more likely to encounter avanafil side effects like dizziness, headache, a rapid heartbeat, and low blood pressure if you consume a lot of alcohol (more than three glasses of wine or three shots of whiskey).
• Inform the surgeon or dentist that you are taking avanafil if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
• It’s important to be aware that sexual activity could put a strain on your heart, particularly if you already have heart problems. Call your doctor right away and stop having sex until they advise you otherwise if you get chest pain, nausea, or vertigo while having sex.
• Let all of your medical professionals know you are taking avanafil. The medical professionals who treat you will need to know when you last took avanafil if you ever require emergency medical care for a heart condition.

If you plan to consume grapefruits or grapefruit juice while taking this medication, consult your doctor.

Side effects with avanafil are possible. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Headache
• Flushing
• Back pain

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you encounter any of these symptoms, or seek emergency care:

• A prolonged erection (more than 4 hours)
• Abrupt visual loss in one or both eyes (see below for more information)
• Unexpected hearing loss (see below for more information)
• An earache that ringers
• Dizziness
• Rash
• Itching
• Enlarged eyelids

Other negative effects of avanafil are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

After taking drugs that are identical to avanafil, some individuals abruptly lost all or part of their vision. In some cases, the eyesight loss was irreversible. It is unknown if the drug contributed to the visual loss. Call your doctor right away if you suddenly lose your vision while taking avanafil. Await with your doctor before taking any further doses of avanafil or comparable drugs like sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), or vardenafil (Levitra).

After using other drugs that are identical to avanafil, some individuals saw a dramatic decline in or loss of hearing. Usually, just one ear was affected by the hearing loss, and stopping the medicine did not always make things better. It is unknown if the drug contributed to the hearing loss. Call your doctor right away if you suddenly lose your hearing while taking avanafil, sometimes with ringing in your ears or vertigo. Await with your doctor before taking any further doses of avanafil or comparable drugs like sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), or vardenafil (Levitra).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Store it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Additionally, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.