Levitra Overview
What is Levitra?
Levitra (vardenafil hydrochloride) is a medicine taken by mouth for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. ED is a condition where the penis does not harden and expand when a man is sexually excited, or when he cannot keep an erection. Levitra may help a man with ED get and keep an erection when he is sexually excited. Levitra is only for men, not for women and children, and must be used only under a doctor's care.
Levitra does not:
- Cure ED
- Increase a man's sexual desire
- Protect a man or his partner from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV
- Serve as a male form of birth control.
Levitra was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003. Levitra is manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline, and distributed and marketed by Schering Corporation.
Levitra FDA Alert
In 2005, the FDA issued an alert for men using Levitra, Viagra, or Cialis. A small number of men have lost eyesight in one eye sometime after taking these drugs. This type of vision loss is called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). NAION causes sudden loss of eyesight because blood flow is blocked to the optic nerve.
The FDA still does not know if these drugs cause NAION, since this condition also occurs in men who do not take these medicines. People who have a higher chance of NAION include those who:
- have heart disease
- are over 50 years old
- have diabetes
- have high blood pressure
- have high cholesterol
- smoke
- have certain eye problems
The FDA has approved new labels for Levitra, Viagra, and Cialis to include information on possible eyesight loss (NAION). If you experience a loss in your eyesight, stop using these medicines, and get medical help right away.
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Most content above from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
