Researchers looked over data on Cialis, Levitra and Viagra

These medications are included in a family of medications called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5,Levitra Information) inhibitors. In their review, the authors analyzed eight studies of 1,759 men that compared Cialis, Levitra or Viagra to placebo. Eighty percent of the men in these studies had type 2 diabetes, while 20 percent had type 1 diabetes. Most of the studies lasted for 12 weeks. At the end of the studies, men who took one of the PDE-5 inhibitors showed improvements on all measures of erectile dysfunction, and the medications caused few adverse reactions, according to the review. Men who took the medications were 4.8 times more likely to have an adverse reaction than men who took a placebo. The most common side effects among men who took the medications were headache, flushing, and upper respiratory tract complaints and flu-like symptoms. There were no deaths.

“The results of our meta-analysis are not surprising, but give strength to the general notion that this class of medications is efficient and safe for this specific wide population,” review lead author Dr. Moshe Vardi, of the internal medicine division at Lady Davis Carmel Medical Center in Israel, said in a prepared statement (Levitra Information). PDE-5 inhibitors have been considered the mainstay of treatment for erectile dysfunction in the general population for many years. Diabetics are prone to this complication, and the etiology of their erectile dysfunction is multifactorial, thus making their treatment a special challenge for physicians and other health care professionals.

On April 6, the FDA approved safety labeling revisions for vardenafil - levitra (Levitra tablets, made by Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corp,levitra information) to advise of drug interactions and the additive effect on QT interval prolongation associated with concomitant use of certain medications. Because vardenafil - levitra is metabolized predominantly by the hepatic enzyme cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 3A4 (CYP3A4,levitra information), serum levels can be significantly increased by concomitant use of indinavir, saquinavir, atazanavir, or other potent CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as clarithromycin, ketoconazole 400 mg daily, or itraconazole 400 mg daily. This can lead to an increased risk for adverse events such as hypotension, visual changes, and priapism.

Therefore, patients receiving treatment with these drugs or regimens should not exceed a dose of 2.5 mg vardenafil - levitra within a 24-hour period. For patients taking ketoconazole or itraconazole 200 mg daily, the vardenafil - levitra dose should not exceed 5 mg within a 24-hour period. The FDA notes that though the specific interactions have not been studied, other CYP3A4 inhibitors (eg, grapefruit juice,levitra information) are also likely to increase vardenafil - levitra exposure.

The agency also warned of the risk for an additive effect on QT interval prolongation with concomitant use of other drugs known to exert this effect, as determined by data from a postmarketing study. A previous study of healthy men (n = 59) had revealed that the effect of 10 mg of vardenafil - levitra is similar to that of 400 mg of moxifloxacin.

These observations should be considered in clinical decisions when prescribing vardenafil - levitra for patients with a known history of QT prolongation or those taking medications known to prolong the QT interval. Patients taking class 1A (eg, quinidine, procainamide,levitra information) or class III (eg, amiodarone, sotalol,levitra information) antiarrhythmic medications or those with congenital QT prolongation should avoid using vardenafil - levitra.

vardenafil - levitra is indicated for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. The recommended daily starting dose for most patients is 10 mg taken approximately 1 hour before sexual activity and then lowered to 5 mg or increased to a maximum of 20 mg based on efficacy and adverse events.