Adcirca (Tadalafil)

Adcirca (Tadalafil) Information

Adcirca is a film-coated tablet/medication containing Tadalafil as the active ingredient which falls under a class of drugs called Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. This medicine is indicated most often in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a condition characterized by high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs.

Uses

One of the predominant uses of Adcirca is Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a condition that increases the blood pressure of the arteries supplying blood to the lungs. It is this increase in blood pressure that causes shortness of breath following heavy exercise. Therefore, Adcirca works by stimulating specific enzymes called Phosphodiesterase type 5 in the lungs and relaxing and widening the blood vessels of the arteries, thus allowing blood to flow more freely and reducing the pressure on the vessel walls. This drop in blood pressure increases the stamina to exercise more without signs like breath-shortness.

Besides PAH, Adcirca also finds limited usage in the management of erectile dysfunction, particularly in men, who despite being sexually excited cannot maintain an erection. Adcirca promotes the flow of blood to the penis, helping in the tightening of muscles that produce an erection.

Some instances for uses of Adcirca in benign prostate hyperplasia are also observed which is caused due to an enlarged prostate gland. A symptom of this condition is the difficulty of urination, a decreased flow of urine, and a feeling of hesitation before urination. Adcirca can reduce the severity of these symptoms and even decrease the chances of prostate surgery, which may be sometimes needed.

Dosage

For Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to improve exercise ability, a single dose of 40mg daily, with or without food is recommended. Do not divide the dose or take the medicine more than once daily unless suggested by your physician.

Dosage adjustment may be required if you are taking drugs like ritonavir, or other CYP3A4 inhibitors.

For the treatment of erectile dysfunction, 10mg taken orally, with or without food, before commencing sexual activity is suggested. Based on efficacy and tolerability the dose may be increased to 20mg or reduced to 5mg per oral dose daily.

For benign prostate hyperplasia, the recommended dose is 5mg per oral taken daily at approximately the same time.

Children's use is not recommended for Adcirca.

Adequate data for pregnant and lactating women is not available. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, Adcirca is not recommended for use during pregnancy or lactation.

Side Effects

Adcirca like all other medications comes with reporting of side effects.

Some side-effects do not need immediate physician attention and usually goes away after sometimes, as the body adjusts to the new medication. Some of them are discussed below:

• Some more common side-effects of Adcirca are:
  • Belching, indigestion, heartburn, stomach discomfort, upset, or pain.
• Some lesser common side-effect of Adcirca are:
  • Bloody nose, body aches or pain, burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings, burning, dry, or itching eyes, burning feeling in the chest or stomach, upper abdominal or stomach pain, tenderness in the stomach area, difficulty with moving, dryness or soreness of the throat, mouth, difficulty with swallowing, dry excessive eye discharge, eye pain, swelling of the eye, eyelid, or inner lining of the eyelid, watering of the eyes, feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings, feeling of redness of the face, warmth, neck, arms, and upper chest, hoarseness, neck pain, fever, lack or loss of strength, loose stools, muscle stiffness, muscle aching, nasal congestion, runny nose, pain, pain in the arms or legs, pain or burning in the throat, redness, pain, reduced sensitivity to touch, sensation of spinning, sleepiness or unusual drowsiness, stomach upset, swelling of the eyelids swelling or puffiness of the eyes or face, swollen joints, tearing, tender, swollen glands in the neck, trouble with sleeping, and voice changes.

Some-side effects, however, are not desirable and may not go even after a few days of using the medicine. These require immediate medical attention and must be reported to the physician treating you.

• Some less common side-effects of Adcirca are Arm, back, or jaw pain, discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck blurred vision, chest pain or discomfort, chest tightness or heaviness, pounding in the ears, slow or fast heartbeat, chills, cold sweats, dizziness, fainting, faintness or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position, fast or irregular heartbeat, headache, nausea, nervousness, confusion, hearing loss, sweating, unusual tiredness or weakness, increased erection, spontaneous penile erection, and vomiting.
• Prolonged erection is rare, but if the erection subsists for more than 4 hours seek medical attention immediately to prevent damage to penile tissues.

Precautions

Ensure the following precaution before you start taking Adcirca:

• Inform your healthcare providers of any past or present allergies to Adcirca or any ingredient in the medicine. Consult the inactive ingredients used in the medicine to check out what other ingredients are used alongside tadalafil.
• Inform your physician of you and your family’s medical history, including what medicines you have used before or are taking now, what conditions or diseases you have had, or are dealing with now.
• Highlight any cardiac issues, heart problems, stroke or heart attack incidences, kidney or liver diseases, dehydration, penis or erection problems, bleeding disorders, eye conditions stomach disorders, or any lung conditions, to your physician and pharmacist.
• Avoid alcohol or stimulants like marijuana.
• Do not drive or operate heavy machinery if you experience difficulty in attention and alertness.
• During pregnancy, use with caution. If alternate options available, avoid usage.
• Do not use if lactating as data for lactating mother are lacking and it has not been found whether the drug passes into breast milk or not.
• Do not consume grapefruit or grapefruit flavored products while under this medication.

Adcirca FAQs

1. Can you get STDs while taking Adcirca?

Adcirca does not protect against STDs, therefore use adequate protection.

2. Does Adcirca cause weight gain?

No reports of weight gain have been linked with Adcirca till now.

3. Does Adcirca cause low potassium?

Adcirca has been known to promote the excretion of potassium, leading to hypokalemia or low potassium as a side-effect of the medication.

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