VARDENAFIL 20mg. Tablets.

DESCRIPTION

Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor similar to sildenafil and tadalafil
Used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED)
Achieves maximum plasma concentration sooner than sildenafil and tadalafil; may result in a faster onset of action

COMMON BRAND NAMES

Levitra, Staxyn

HOW SUPPLIED

Levitra/Vardenafil/Vardenafil Hydrochloride Oral Tab: 2.5mg, 5mg, 10mg, 20mg
Staxyn Oral Tab Orally Dis: 10mg

DOSAGE & INDICATIONS

MAXIMUM DOSAGE

For regular tablets (e.g., Levitra), 20 mg/day PO. For orally disintegrating tablets (e.g., Staxyn), 10 mg/day PO.

For regular tablets (e.g., Levitra), 20 mg/day PO. For orally disintegrating tablets (e.g., Staxyn), 10 mg/day PO.

Safety and efficacy has not been established.

Safety and efficacy has not been established.

Not indicated.

DOSING CONSIDERATIONS

Patients with mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class A): No dose adjustment is required.
Patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class B): Decrease starting dose to 5 mg/day PO using the regular tablets; the maximum dose should not exceed 10 mg/day PO. Do not use vardenafil orally disintegrating tablets in patients with moderate hepatic impairment.
Patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class C): Do not use.

CrCl 30 mL/minute or more: No dosage adjustments are needed.

Hemodialysis
Do not use vardenafil in patients requiring dialysis; vardenafil has not been studied in these patients.

ADMINISTRATION

Vardenafil is administered orally approximately 1 hour before expected intercourse. May be administered with or without food.
Orally disintegrating tablets: Place on tongue where tablet will disintegrate. Do not administer with any liquids. Administer immediately upon removal from blister packaging.

STORAGE

Levitra:
– Store at 77 degrees F; excursions permitted to 59-86 degrees F
Staxyn:
– Store at 77 degrees F; excursions permitted to 59-86 degrees F

CONTRAINDICATIONS / PRECAUTIONS

Vardenafil is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to any component of the tablet. The safety and efficacy of combinations of vardenafil with other treatments for erectile dysfunction have not been studied. Therefore, the use of such combinations is not recommended.

The safe and effective use of vardenafil in combination with other agents for treating erectile dysfunction has not been studied. Therefore, the use of such combinations is not recommended.

Vardenafil is contraindicated in patients who are currently on nitrate/nitrite therapy. Consistent with its known effects on the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway, vardenafil may potentiate the hypotensive effects of organic nitrates and nitrites. Patients receiving nitrates in any form are not to receive vardenafil. This includes any patient who receives intermittent nitrate therapies. It is unknown if it is safe for patients to receive nitrates once vardenafil has been administered. A suitable time interval following vardenafil dosing for safe administration of nitrates or nitric oxide donors has not been determined.

Vardenafil tablets are not recommended in patients with severe hepatic disease (Child-Pugh class C) or end stage renal disease requiring dialysis (severe renal impairment or renal failure). There are no controlled clinical studies on the safety and efficacy of vardenafil in these patients; therefore, vardenafil use is not recommended until further information is available. Patients with moderate hepatic impairment require a reduction in the starting dose of the regular tablets and a lower maximum dosage (see Indications/Dosage). Patients with mild hepatic impairment or mild to moderate renal impairment do not require adjustments in the vardenafil regular tablet dosage. The concomitant use of certain potent hepatic cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors may result in a requirement to adjust the vardenafil dosage (see Dosage and Drug Interactions). Vardenafil orally disintegrating tablets provide increased exposure as compared to the regular tablets; therefore, the orally disintegrating tablets should not be used in patients with moderate or severe hepatic disease (Child-Pugh class B or C) or in patients on hemodialysis. Patients who require lower doses of vardenafil should use the regular tablets.

Lower starting doses of vardenafil regular tablets should be considered for geriatric patients (>= 65 years) because elderly patients have higher plasma concentrations than younger males (18—45 years) (see Indications/Dosage). In phase III clinical trials of the regular tablets, 834 elderly patients participated and there was no difference in safety or effectiveness compared to younger patients. In trials with the orally disintegrating tablets, the vardenafil AUC in elderly patients (>= 65 years) was increased by 39% and the Cmax was increased by 21% as compared to patients <= 45 years; however, no differences in safety and efficacy were observed between elderly patients and those < 65 years old in placebo-controlled trials. Elderly patients may potentially have renal and hepatic impairment which can increase vardenafil plasma concentrations. Because higher plasma concentrations may increase the incidence of adverse reactions, the regular tablet starting dose should be reduced in these patients. Patients who require lower doses of vardenafil should use the regular tablets and not the orally disintegrating tablets.

There is a degree of cardiac risk associated with sexual activity; therefore, prescribers should evaluate the cardiovascular status of their patients prior to initiating any treatment for erectile dysfunction. Health care professionals should consider whether the individual would be adversely affected by vasodilatory events. In particular, caution should be used if vardenafil is prescribed in the following patient groups: patients who have suffered a myocardial infarction, stroke, or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias in the last 6 months; patients with resting hypotension (BP < 90/50) or resting hypertension (BP > 170/110); patients with cardiac disease, severe heart failure or coronary artery disease (CAD) which causes unstable angina including those with left ventricular outflow obstruction (e.g., aortic stenosis and idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis). Based on recommendations for sildenafil by the American College of Cardiology, it is recommended that vardenafil be used with caution in the following: patients with active coronary ischemia who are not taking nitrates (e.g., positive exercise test for ischemia); patients with congestive heart failure and borderline low blood pressure and borderline low volume status; patients on a complicated, multidrug, antihypertensive program; and patients taking drugs that can prolong the half-life of vardenafil. Vardenafil is contraindicated in patients currently on nitrate/nitrite therapy. In a double-blind, crossover, single-dose study of patients with stable CAD, vardenafil did not cause any impairment in exercise capabilities at levels equivalent to or greater than that achieved during sexual intercourse. The effects of vardenafil on QT prolongation were evaluated in 59 healthy males using moxifloxacin (400 mg) as an active control. Therapeutic (10 mg) and supratherapeutic (80 mg) doses of vardenafil produced similar increases in QTc interval (e.g., 4—6 msec calculated by individual QT correction) as moxifloxacin. When vardenafil (10 mg) was given with gatifloxacin (400 mg), an additive effect on the QT interval was observed. The effect of vardenafil on the QT interval should be considered when prescribing the drug. The manufacturer recommends that vardenafil not be used in patients with congenital long QT syndrome and those taking Class IA (e.g., quinidine, procainamide) or Class III (e.g., amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic drugs. Further, use vardenafil with caution in patients with cardiac disease or other conditions that may increase the risk of QT prolongation including cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, bradycardia, myocardial infarction, hypertension, coronary artery disease, hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, or in patients receiving medications known to prolong the QT interval or cause electrolyte imbalances. Females, geriatric patients, patients with diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, malnutrition, alcoholism, or hepatic disease may also be at increased risk for QT prolongation.

Prolonged erections greater than 4 hours and priapism (painful erections greater than 6 hours in duration) have been associated with PDE5 inhibitor administration. Priapism, if not treated promptly, can result in irreversible damage to the erectile tissue. Patients who have an erection lasting greater than 4 hours, whether painful or not, should seek emergency medical attention. Vardenafil and other agents for the treatment of erectile dysfunction should be used with caution in patients with penile structural abnormality (such as angulation, cavernosal fibrosis or Peyronie’s disease), or in patients who have conditions which may predispose them to priapism (such as sickle cell disease, leukemia, multiple myeloma, polycythemia, or history of priapism).

Patients should be reminded that vardenafil offers no protection against sexually transmitted disease. Counseling of patients about protective measures, including the prevention of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, should be considered.

Advise patients to stop use of all phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, including vardanafil, and seek medical attention for evaluation in the event of a sudden visual disturbance in 1 or both eyes. Postmarketing reports with PDE5 inhibitors have included cases of visual disturbances including retinal vein occlusion, visual field defects, reduced visual acuity, and loss of vision (temporary or permanent). Vision loss is attributed to a condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), where blood flow is blocked to the optic nerve; this can cause permanent loss of vision; discontinue vardenafil if there is visual loss in 1 or both eyes. Patients with a history of NAION are at increased risk for recurrence. Only use a PDE5 inhibitor in these individuals if the anticipated benefit outweighs the risk. Patients with low cup to disc ratio (‘crowded disc’) are also at increased risk; however, this condition is uncommon, and there is insufficient evidence to support screening of prospective users of a PDE5 inhibitor. Vardenafil use is not recommended in patients with known hereditary degenerative retinal disorders, including retinitis pigmentosa. A minority of patients with the inherited condition retinitis pigmentosa have genetic disorders of retinal phosphodiesterases. Vardenafil use is not recommended in these patients until further information is available.

Vardenafil is not indicated for use in females. There are no adequate and well-controlled trials of vardenafil in humans during pregnancy. In animal reproduction studies, no adverse developmental outcomes were observed during organogenesis at exposures for unbound vardenafil and its major metabolite at 100 and 29 times, respectively, the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 20 mg.

Vardenafil is not indicated for use in females and is therefore not recommended during breast-feeding. There is no information on the presence of vardenafil and its major metabolite in human milk, the effects on the breast-fed infant, or the effects on milk production. Vardenafil is excreted into the milk of lactating rats at concentrations approximately 10-fold greater than found in the plasma; following a single oral dose of 3 mg/kg, 3.3% of the administered dose was excreted into the milk within 24 hours.

There is no known indication for the use of vardenafil in neonates, infants, or children. Vardenafil should not be prescribed to these populations.

Vardenafil should be used cautiously in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or hiatal hernia associated with reflux esophagitis. Like sildenafil, vardenafil can possibly decrease the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter and inhibit esophageal motility.

Vardenafil should be administered to patients with coagulopathy only after careful benefit vs. risk assessment. Vardenafil alone does not prolong the bleeding time nor does its use in combination with aspirin cause any additive prolongation of the bleeding time. However, vardenafil has not been studied or administered to patients with bleeding disorders or significant active peptic ulcer disease. Therefore administer to these patients after careful benefit-risk assessment.

Patients with a sudden decrease or loss of hearing (hearing impairment) should stop taking vardenafil and seek prompt medical attention. Hearing loss, which may be accompanied by tinnitus and dizziness, has been reported in temporal association with the intake of PDE5 inhibitors, including vardenafil; however, it is unknown if the hearing loss is directly related to PDE5 inhibitors or to other factors.

The vardenafil orally disintegrating tablets contain aspartame, which is a source of phenylalanine. This may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria. Each tablet contains 1.01 mg of phenylalanine.

The vardenafil orally disintegrating tablets contain sorbitol. Patients with hereditary fructose intolerance should not take the orally disintegrating tablets.