Pronunciation: a VAN a fil

Brand: Stendra

What is the most important information I should know about avanafil?

Taking avanafil with certain other medicines can cause a sudden and serious decrease in blood pressure. Do not take avanafil if you also take riociguat (Adempas) or a nitrate drug such as nitroglycerin.

Stop using avanafil and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.

Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.

What is avanafil?

Avanafil relaxes muscles of the blood vessels and increases blood flow to particular areas of the body.

Avanafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence).

Avanafil may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking avanafil?

You should not take avanafil if you are allergic to it.

Taking avanafil with certain other medicines can cause a sudden and serious decrease in blood pressure. Do not take avanafil if you also take riociguat (Adempas), or if you take a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems. Nitrates include nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, and isosorbide mononitrate. Nitrates are also found in some recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite ("poppers").

To make sure avanafil is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

  • heart disease or heart rhythm disorder;
  • a recent history (in the past 6 months) of heart surgery;
  • a history of heart attack, stroke, or life-threatening heart rhythm problem;
  • congestive heart failure;
  • angina (chest pain), high or low blood pressure;
  • liver disease, kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);
  • a blood cell disorder such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia;
  • a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia;
  • a stomach ulcer;
  • hearing or vision problems, history of vision loss;
  • retinitis pigmentosa (an inherited condition of the eye);
  • a physical deformity of the penis (such as Peyronie's disease); or
  • if you have been told you should not have sexual intercourse for health reasons.

Avanafil can decrease blood flow to the optic nerve of the eye, causing sudden vision loss. This has occurred in a small number of people taking Viagra or other drugs similar to avanafil. Most of these people also had certain pre-existing eye problems or risk factors for blood vessel disorders (such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, smoking, or being over 50 years old). It is not clear whether avanafil is the actual cause of vision loss.

Avanafil is not for use in women. It is not known whether avanafil will harm an unborn baby.

Although avanafil is not for use in women, it is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby.

How should I take avanafil?

Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

Avanafil can be taken with or without food.

Avanafil is usually taken only when needed, about 30 minutes before sexual activity. Follow your doctor's instructions.

Avanafil can help achieve an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. An erection will not occur just by taking a pill.

Do not take avanafil more than once a day. Allow 24 hours to pass between doses.

Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since avanafil is used as needed, you are not likely to be on a dosing schedule.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should I avoid while taking avanafil?

Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of avanafil. Avoid drinking more than 3 alcoholic beverages while you are taking avanafil.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with avanafil and lead to unwanted side effects. Avoid the use of grapefruit products while taking avanafil.

This medication will not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases--including HIV and AIDS. Using a condom is the only way to protect yourself from these diseases.

What are the possible side effects of avanafil?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using avanafil and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.

During sexual activity, if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw, stop and call your doctor right away. You could be having a serious side effect of avanafil.

Stop using avanafil and call your doctor at once if you have:

  • vision changes, sudden vision loss;
  • ringing in your ears, or sudden hearing loss;
  • heart attack symptoms --chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;
  • pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs;
  • shortness of breath, swelling in your hands or feet;
  • a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out; or
  • penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.

Common side effects may include:

  • headache;
  • flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling);
  • cold symptoms such as runny or stuffy nose, sore throat; or
  • back pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect avanafil?

Do not take avanafil with similar medicines such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), or vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn). These medicines also have other brand names (Adcirca, Revatio) that are used to treat a condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Tell your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with avanafil, especially:

  • all other medications you use for erectile dysfunction;
  • an antibiotic --clarithromycin, erythromycin, telithromycin, and others;
  • antifungal medicine --itraconazole, ketoconazole, and others;
  • drugs to treat high blood pressure or a prostate disorder --alfuzosin, doxazosin, prazosin, silodosin, terazosin, tamsulosin, and others;
  • hepatitis C medication --boceprevir or telaprevir; or
  • HIV/AIDS medicine --atazanavir, cobicistat (Stribild, Tybost), indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, and others.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with avanafil, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about avanafil.


Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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