Cialis dosing information for BPH

Cialis for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia has been recently approved by FDA. The medication is used to improve the symptoms of this condition including: difficulty urinating, painful and frequent urination, and others.

The recommended dose of Cialis for BPH for once daily use is 5 mg. The drug should be taken at the same time every day if possible. Due to its long lasting pharmacological effect Cialis for BPH is taken only once a day and in a lower dosage.

The patients with ED and BPH will feel the beneficial effect of Cialis for both conditions. Ciallis for once daily use for impotence and enlarged prostate is 5 mg, taken at the same time every day. The time of sexual activity is not regarded.

Cialis for the treatment of BPH and ED

The Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly and Co.’s Cialis for the new additional medical purpose- to treat symptoms associated with a BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) condition that leads to an enlarged prostate.

The common symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia are very unpleasant for the patients and include urination difficulty, a weak stream and a sudden necessity to urinate and more frequent urination especially at night. These symptoms often occur in men in the age of 60 and older who commonly experience other condition – erectile dysfunction. Cialis was originally approved to treat impotence in men and now can be used in patients with both conditions.

Cialis was clinically tested for a new purpose in men with BPH in three trials. The test participants received 5 milligrams of Cialis once a day and reported significant reduction in symptoms of BPH. In the third trial men with BPH and ED took part. The medication demonstrated beneficial results in the treatment of both conditions.

Cialis is very convenient for the daily usage due to its long –lasting effect and a low dose of 5 mg usually causes no side effects.  Men suffering from the symptoms of lower urinary tract and erectile dysfunction should consult their doctor before using Cialis for both problems.

Cialis special warnings

Erectile dysfunction is a sexual disorder that should be evaluated by a medical professional, urologist, endocrinologist or other specialists. The experts will make appropriate medical assessment to determine possible underlying conditions and individual treatment possibilities.

Before prescribing Cialis your doctor will want to know the following important things:

1)    Your cardiovascular status- to measure the cardiac risk which can occur during sexual activity. So Cialis may be not recommended for patients with serious cardiovascular disease and for whom sexual activity is inadvisable;

2)    If you use nitrate medications for chest pain;

3)    If you have left ventricular outflow obstruction such as aortic stenosis and idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis;

4)    If you have had myocardial infarction within the last 3 months or stroke within the last 6 months, heart failure within the last 6 months;

5)    If you have unstable angina or uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension.

The mentioned cases are carefully considered by doctors before prescribing any PDE5 inhibitors including Cialis because of the potential of the development of life-threatening conditions associated with taking any PDE5 inhibitor.

Cialis possibility to affect other medications

Cialis has shown no significant effects on different drug classes during clinical trials. Tadalafil does not make possible any increases in bleeding time caused by aspirin if coadministered  with it.

The coaministration of Cialis with cytochrome P450 substrates is not suggested to afflict clinically meaningful restriction or induction of the clearance of drugs metabolized by cytochrome P450 isoforms. Different clinical tests have demonstrated that Cialis does not block or induce P450 isoforms CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP2E1.

Cialis has no meaningful interactions with theophylline (CYP1A2), it doesn’t affect the pharmacokinetics of theophylline. When Cialis was coadministered with theophylline, a small (3beats in a minute) increase in the heart rate has been noted.

Cialis has also no effect on exposure (AUC) to S-warfarin, R- warfarine, midazolam and lovastatin.

 

Cialis effect on vision and hearing

When prescribing Cialis doctors usually advise patients to stop use of it and seek medical attention in the event of a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes or a sudden loss of hearing. These adverse reactions of Cialis happen very rarely in a group of males with preexisting diseases of eyes and hearing problems. Still even if you haven’t any problems with vision and hearing you should be watchful while using this medication.

Cialis may lessen the blood flow to the optic nerve of the eye, and thus cause a sudden loss of vision. Such an event may be one of the signs of non-artentic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a cause of poor vision or even permanent vision loss. It is not proved that Cialis is the direct cause of these side effects or other factors, but it should be used with much caution in patients who have already had NAION. Other risk patients are those males who have hereditary degenerative retinal disorders, including retinitis pigmentosa.

During Cialis postmarketing experience there were several reports of sudden decrease of hearing and hearing loss. These adverse reactions were often accompanied by dizziness, and tinnitus. Still there is no credible relation between sudden hearing problems and Cialis intake.

Other medications affecting Cialis

Before taking Cialis, inform your doctor about all other medications you use for other conditions or to treat erectile dysfunction. Some medications can affect Cialis tell your doctor if you use any from the following list:

  • rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater, Rifamate), or rifapentine (Priftin);
  • antibiotics such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), dalfopristin/quinupristin (Synercid), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediazole), or telithromycin (Ketek);
  • antifungal medications such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), miconazole (Oravig), or voriconazole (Vfend);
  • antidepressants;
  • barbiturates such as phenobarbital (Solfoton);
  • HIV or AIDS medications;
  • seizure medications such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin).

Cialis with concomitant usage of Nitrates, Alpha Blockers and Anthhypertensives

The use of Cialis with any form of nitrates is contraindicated. In clinical studies, Cialis has demonstrated the ability to enhance the nitrate effect of lowering the blood pressure, so its administration with nitrates is contradictory. The tests conducted during clinical studies have proven that Cialis in combination with nitrates has doubled effects on the nitric oxide and cyclic GMP pathway.

At least 48 hour – period should pass after the last dose of Cialis before a nitrate medication is administered.

In case Cialis is co-administered with alpha blockers, it is recommended to continue stable therapy with alpha blockers prior the treatment with Cialis. Cialis used in combination with alpha-adrenergic blocking agents adds a blood pressure lowering effect as it like alpha blockers is a vasodilator. The treatment with Cialis for patients, who regular use alpha blockers, should be started with the lowest dose.

Tadalafil is mild systemic vasodilator which if administered with antihypertensive medications can potentiate their pressure lowering effects. So Cialis should be administered with the following antihypertensive medications with much caution: amlodipine, angiotensin II receptor blockers, bendrofluazide, enalapril and metoprolol.

 

Cialis usual side effects

Cialis is usually well tolerated, but in rare cases the medication may cause adverse reactions which need medical assistance. Read this information about side effects of Cialis carefully and consult your doctor if you need more instructions.

Cialis may cause allergic reactions; some of them are serious and should be reported to your doctor:

  • hives;
  • difficulty breathing;
  • swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Other serious side effects may include:

  • changes in vision or sudden vision loss;
  • ringing in your ears, or sudden hearing loss;
  • chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea;
  • irregular heartbeat;
  • shortness of breath, swelling in the hands, ankles, or feet;
  • seizure (convulsions);
  • feeling light-headed, fainting;
  • prolonged erections.

Less serious Cialis side effects are as following:

  • redness or warmth in the face, neck, or chest;
  •  stuffy nose, sneezing, or sore throat;
  • headaches;
  • diarrhea, upset stomach;
  • muscle pain, back pain.

If they worry you, visit your doctor. If you experience other side effects of the drug, report them to your doctor. It is necessary to use the medication as your doctor orders you to do to avoid side effects and possible dangers to your health.

Instructions on how to take Cialis

Cialis is an approved, highly effective and safe medication indicated for treatment of erectile problems in males only; still it has restrictions for some categories of patients. Cialis should be taken only after your doctor’s consultation to avoid possible risks for your health.

After you have been prescribed Cialis you should ask your doctor how to take it. Try to remember all your doctor’s recommendations. In case you forget something you can read the directions on your prescription label.

This information is about how to take Cialis (tadalafil), read it carefully to get the most benefit from treatment with this drug and protect you from health risks that Cialis can cause.

Take Cialis exactly as ordered by your doctor.

Never take the drug in larger doses or more than once a day.

Take Cialis with or without food, but if it upsets your stomach it is suggested to use it with food.

Cialis is usually taken when needed prior sexual activity, but in case your doctor recommends you to take Cialis in lower doses you may take it daily (in doses of 2.5 and 5 mg). Cialis for daily use is taken regardless of sexual activity. If you take the medication daily, take it at the same time each day.

Cialis provides an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. An erection will not occur automatically you need to be sexually aroused.

Do not take Cialis with Adcirca indicated for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension because Adcirca contains the same active component as Cialis.

Store Cialis at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep this drug away from children and pets. Never share your Cialis with others.

Cialis Moderate Food Interaction

Cialis may be taken with or without food. Food interactions of moderate character were noticed with grapefruit juice and grapefruit products.

It is proved that grapefruit juice and grapefruit products may increase the plasma concentrations of orally administered drugs that are substrates of the CYP450 3A4 isoenzyme.

Still the interaction affects primarily the drugs that undergo significant presystemic metabolism by CYP450 3A4 ( in particular, drugs with low oral bioavailability). Cialis is an orally administered drug with low oral bioavailability.  Grapefruit juice restrains intestinal CYP450 3A4 and involves a high degree of interpatient variability. It is very hard to predict what condition grapefruit juice may cause in patients taking such drugs as Cialis that is why men who often drink grapefruit juice or eat other food containing grapefruit  should be under control for adverse effects and altered plasma concentrations of drugs that undergo significant presystemic metabolism by CYP450 3A4.

If any contradiction is suspected grapefruit products should not be taken while being treated with Cialis.