Levitra (Vardenafil)

What is Levitra?

Levitra (vardenafil) is a prescription-only medicine, classed as a "PDE5 inhibitor" and used to treat erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to the penis. The medication comes as a round-shaped, orange tablet, available in three strengths - 5mg, 10mg and 20mg in packets of four or eight tablets or as white Levitra orodispersible 10mg tablets (melt in the mouth without the need for water)- in packets of 4 tablets.

Effectiveness

There’s a lot of research about the effectiveness of PDE5 inhibitors in general as well as on Levitra.

A 2009 review of research on Levitra found that the medication is generally effective for helping people with ED quickly and reliably get erections when they’re sexually stimulated that lasted long enough for satisfying sex.

The review also noted that Levitra was especially helpful for people who had ED that resulted from:

• diabetes
• high blood pressure
• dyslipidemia (high amount of fat in the bloodstream)
• aging, one of the factors most correlated with ED

Side effects

When taken at the recommended dose, the possible side effects of Levitra are usually mild and pass with time. The most common side effects are a headache and facial flushing.

You should consult the full list of Levitra side effects on the patient information leaflet provided with your treatment. Details of this can also be found here.

More information can be found on our erectile dysfunction page, or click below to start a confidential consultation.

How does Levitra work?

For Levitra (vardenafil) to be effective, sexual stimulation is needed. It works by relaxing the blood vessels to the penis so allowing better blood flow. It takes between 25 minutes and one hour to work although it can sometimes work within 15 minutes. It's effect is not normally affected by eating or drinking alcohol before taking the treatment. Drinking more than 2 units of alcohol or eating a meal that has a high fat content can slow the speed of action or make it less effective.

When starting to use Levitra for the first time it is important that you give it a chance to work. It may take a few tries before things start to work again, but many patients are not told this and expect the medication to work instantly.

If it has been a while since you last had an erection, we recommend trialling the treatment (a few times) before having sex. Try to masturbate an hour after taking a tablet to get used to having erections again. It can take up to eight attempts to be effective, so always persevere with the treatment before you decide that Levitra is not working for you.

If things do not work as well as you hoped, but you did not experience side effects, ask your doctor if you can try increasing your dose, say from 10mg to 20mg, or seek advice about the many alternative treatments that exist.

How long does Levitra last?

The effects of Levitra can last up to five hours.

How do you take Levitra?

The usual starting dose is Levitra 10mg. If 10mg works for you but you experience side effects, then you might try a 5mg dose. If 10mg is not effective and side effects are not problematic then a 20mg dose should be tried after consultation with your Doctor. You should not take more than 20mg of Levitra a day as this will not give a greater effect but does increase the risk of side effects including severe back pain. Levitra orodispersible 10mg tablets enable a convenient way to take the treatment without liquid, or for those who find tablets hard to swallow. These tablets should be taken 25 to 60 minutes before sexual activity and the effects will last four to five hours. The orodispersible tablet should be placed on the tongue, where it will rapidly disintegrate and be swallowed. Levitra orodispersible tablets must be taken without liquid and immediately upon release from the blister; they can be taken with or without food. Unlike the other Levitra solid tablets, which have a maximum dose of 20mg per day, the maximum dose of the orodispersible tablets is one 10mg tablet once per day.

Who should use Levitra?

Levitra contains vardenafil, a member of a class of medicines called phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. They are used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in adult men, a condition which implies difficulties in getting or keeping an erection.

At least one in ten men has trouble getting or keeping an erection at some time. There may be physical or psychological causes, or a mixture of both. Whatever the cause is, due to muscle and blood vessel changes not enough blood stays in the penis to make it hard and keep it hard.

Who should not use Levitra?

Levitra (vardenafil) should only be taken if prescribed by a registered doctor. Men with cardiac disease of a severity where sex is inadvisable, unstable angina or angina occurring during sexual intercourse, low blood pressure or men who have had a recent stroke or heart attack should not take Levitra. Treatments for erectile dysfunction can be problematic for men with deformity of the penis such as angulation and bent penis.

Levitra can also be dangerous with other medicines such as alpha blockers to treat high blood pressure so it should only be started with care under the advice of a doctor. Use with ketoconazole and itraconazole (oral forms) can cause increased levels in the blood so caution is needed and this combination is to be avoided in men over 75 years of age. Use with HIV medicines such as ritonavir and indinavir is also to be avoided. Use with some antibiotics can also affect Levitra.

Can I use Levitra with other medications?

If you take alpha-blockers (such as doxazosin or tamsulosin), you should wait at least 6 hours between taking those and taking Levitra. You will be unsuitable for Levitra if you are taking nicorandil or nitrates, such as GTN spray or isosorbide mononitrate tablets to treat angina.

It is important that you let us know which prescription, over-the-counter medicines and recreational drugs you are taking so that we can prescribe Levitra safely.

Some men find counselling helpful as a means of exploring and treating psychological causes for ED. If Levitra does not work for you, consult our doctors, who may be able advise an alternative treatment or course of action. Please see our Erectile Dysfunction page for more information on treatment options.