Vardenafil Krka 20 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Spain
Brand name Vardenafil Krka 20 mg film-coated tablets EFG
Form tablets, film-coated
Active substance / Dosage
Prescription type Prescription Only Medicine
Registration number 82741
Vardenafil Krka 20 mg film-coated tablets EFG tablets, film-coated

Patient Information Leaflet

Introduction

Patient Information Leaflet

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Read the entire leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine, as it contains important information for you.

  • Keep this leaflet, as you may need to read it again.
  • If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
  • This medicine has been prescribed for you only, and you should not give it to others, even if they have the same symptoms as you, because it could harm them.
  • If you experience any adverse effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are adverse effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

Leaflet Contents:

  1. What Vardenafil Krka is and what it is used for
  2. What you need to know before taking Vardenafil Krka
  3. How to take Vardenafil Krka
  4. Possible adverse effects
  5. How to store Vardenafil Krka
  6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Vardenafil Krka is and what it is used for

This medicine contains vardenafil, an active substance belonging to a group of medicines called phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, which are used to treat erectile dysfunction in adult men, a condition characterized by difficulty in achieving or maintaining an erection.

At least one in ten men will experience problems achieving or maintaining an erection at some point in their lives. This may be due to physical or psychological causes, or a combination of both. Regardless of the cause, disturbances in the muscles and blood vessels prevent sufficient blood flow into the penis to achieve and maintain an erection.

Vardenafil will only work when you are sexually stimulated. This medicine reduces the action of a natural substance in the body that prevents erection. Vardenafil helps achieve an erection of sufficient duration to allow a satisfactory sexual intercourse.

2. What you need to know before taking Vardenafil Krka

Do not take Vardenafil

  • If you are allergic to vardenafil or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). Signs of an allergic reaction include rash, itching, swelling of the face or lips, and difficulty breathing.
  • If you have ever developed a severe skin rash, skin peeling, blisters, and/or mouth sores after taking vardenafil.
  • If you are taking medicines containing nitrates, such as glyceryl trinitrate for angina pectoris, or those that release nitric oxide, such as amyl nitrite. Taking these medicines together with vardenafil may seriously affect your blood pressure.
  • If you are taking ritonavir or indinavir, medicines used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections.
  • If you are over 75 years old and are taking ketoconazole or itraconazole, antifungal medicines.
  • If you have severe heart or liver problems.
  • If you are undergoing renal dialysis.
  • If you have recently had a stroke or heart attack.
  • If you have low blood pressure, or have had it in the past.
  • If you have a family history of degenerative eye diseases (such as retinitis pigmentosa).
  • If you have ever experienced vision loss due to optic nerve damage caused by insufficient blood supply, known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).
  • If you are taking riociguat. This medicine is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure in the lungs) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure in the lungs caused by blood clots). PDE5 inhibitors, such as vardenafil, have been shown to increase the hypotensive effect of this medicine. If you are taking riociguat or are unsure, consult your doctor.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.

Take special care with vardenafil

  • If you have heart problems, as sexual activity may pose a risk to you.
  • If you have irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmia) or a hereditary heart condition affecting your electrocardiogram.
  • If you have a physical condition affecting the shape of your penis, such as curvature, Peyronie's disease, or cavernosal fibrosis.
  • If you have a medical condition that could cause prolonged erections (priapism), such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia.
  • If you have a stomach ulcer (also known as gastric or peptic ulcer).
  • If you have bleeding disorders (such as hemophilia).
  • If you are using any other treatment for erectile problems, including vardenafil film-coated tablets (see section: “Other medicines and Vardenafil Krka”).
  • Serious skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, have been reported with vardenafil treatment. Stop taking vardenafil and seek immediate medical attention if you experience any symptoms related to these serious skin reactions described in section 4.
  • If you have ever experienced a decrease or loss of vision, or if your vision becomes distorted or darkened suddenly, temporarily, or permanently in one eye, do not take vardenafil and consult your doctor immediately.

Children and adolescents

Vardenafil must not be used in children or adolescents under 18 years of age.

Other medicines and Vardenafil Krka

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might need to take any other medicines, including those obtained without a prescription.

Some medicines may cause problems, especially the following:

  • Nitrates, medicines for angina pectoris, or those that release nitric oxide, such as amyl nitrate. Taking these medicines together with vardenafil may seriously affect your blood pressure. Do not take vardenafil without first consulting your doctor.
  • Medicines for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, such as quinidine, procainamide, amiodarone, or sotalol.
  • Ritonavir or indinavir, medicines for HIV. Do not take vardenafil without first consulting your doctor.
  • Ketoconazole or itraconazole, antifungal medicines.
  • Erythromycin or clarithromycin, macrolide antibiotics.
  • Alpha-blockers, a group of medicines used to treat high blood pressure and enlarged prostate (such as benign prostatic hyperplasia).
  • Riociguat.

Do not use vardenafil film-coated tablets in combination with another medicine for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, including vardenafil orally disintegrating tablets.

Taking Vardenafil with food, drinks, and alcohol

You may take vardenafil with or without food, but it is preferable not to take it after a heavy or high-fat meal, as the effect may be delayed.

Do not drink grapefruit juice when taking vardenafil, as it may interfere with the normal effect of the medicine.

Drinking alcohol may worsen erectile problems.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Vardenafil must not be used in women.

Driving and using machines

In some people, vardenafil may cause dizziness or affect vision. Do not drive or operate tools or machinery if you feel dizzy or have vision problems after taking vardenafil.

3. How to take Vardenafil Krka

Follow exactly the instructions for use of this medicine given by your doctor. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

The recommended dose is 10 mg.

Take one vardenafil tablet 25 to 60 minutes, approximately, before sexual activity. With sexual stimulation, you may achieve an erection from 25 minutes up to four or five hours after taking vardenafil.

Swallow the tablet with a glass of water.

Do not take vardenafil film-coated tablets together with any other formulation of vardenafil.

Do not take vardenafil more than once a day.

If you feel that the effect of vardenafil is too strong or too weak, inform your doctor. Your doctor may suggest switching to another formulation of vardenafil with a different dose, depending on its effect on you.

If you take more vardenafil than you should

Taking too many vardenafil tablets may cause more adverse effects and severe back pain.

In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service at telephone number 91 562 04 20, indicating the medicine and the amount ingested.

If you have any further questions about the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible adverse effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not everyone experiences them. Most of these adverse effects are mild or moderate.

Some patients have experienced sudden, temporary or permanent decrease or loss of vision, or distorted, dimmed or blurred central vision, in one or both eyes. Stop taking vardenafil and contact your doctor immediately.

Cases of sudden death, rapid or irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, chest pain, and cerebral circulation problems (including temporary reduction in blood flow to parts of the brain and cerebral hemorrhage) have been reported in men taking vardenafil. Most of the men who experienced these side effects had pre-existing heart conditions before taking this medicine. It is not possible to determine whether these events were directly related to vardenafil.

Sudden decrease or loss of hearing has also been reported.

The likelihood of experiencing an adverse effect is described using the following categories:

Very common adverse effects: may affect more than 1 in 10 people:

  • Headache.

Common adverse effects: may affect up to 1 in 10 people:

  • Dizziness.
  • Facial flushing.
  • Runny or stuffy nose.
  • Indigestion.

Uncommon adverse effects: may affect up to 1 in 100 people:

  • Swelling of the skin and mucous tissue, including facial, lip or throat swelling.
  • Sleep disturbances.
  • Numbness and altered sense of touch.
  • Drowsiness.
  • Vision disturbances; eye discharge, disturbances in color vision, eye pain, and photosensitivity.
  • Ringing in the ears; dizziness.
  • Rapid pulse or palpitations.
  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Nasal congestion.
  • Acid reflux, gastritis, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, feeling unwell (nausea), dry mouth.
  • Increased liver enzymes in blood.
  • Skin rashes, red skin.
  • Back pain or muscle pain; increased blood levels of the muscle enzyme creatine phosphokinase; muscle stiffness.
  • Prolonged erection.
  • General malaise.

Rare adverse effects: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people:

  • Eye inflammation (conjunctivitis).
  • Allergic reaction.
  • Anxiety.
  • Fainting.
  • Amnesia (loss of memory).
  • Seizures.
  • Increased intraocular pressure (glaucoma), watery eyes.
  • Effects on the heart (such as heart attack, tachycardia or angina).
  • High or low blood pressure.
  • Nosebleeds.
  • Abnormal liver function test results in blood.
  • Skin sensitivity to sunlight.
  • Painful erection.
  • Chest pain.
  • Temporary reduction in blood flow to parts of the brain.

Very rare or frequency not known adverse effects: may affect fewer than 1 in 10,000 people, or frequency cannot be estimated from available data:

  • Blood in urine (hematuria).
  • Bleeding in the penis (penile hemorrhage).
  • Blood in semen (hematospermia).
  • Sudden death.
  • Cerebral hemorrhage.
  • Red, flat, target-like or circular skin rashes on the trunk, often with central blisters, skin peeling, and ulcers in the mouth, throat, nose, genitals, and eyes. These serious skin reactions may be preceded by fever and flu-like symptoms (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis).
  • Sudden decrease in vision or distorted, dimmed or blurred central vision.

Reporting of adverse effects

If you experience any type of adverse effect, consult your doctor, even if it is a possible adverse effect not listed in this leaflet. You may also report them directly via the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Medicines at www.notificaram.es. By reporting adverse effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. Vardenafil Krka Storage

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the packaging after "EXP". The expiry date refers to the last day of the month indicated.

This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.

Medicines must not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Dispose of unused medicines and their containers at the SIGRE collection point at your pharmacy. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines and containers you no longer need. This will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

Composition of Vardenafil Krka

  • The active substance is vardenafil. Each tablet contains 20 mg of vardenafil (as hydrochloride trihydrate).
  • The other components are: microcrystalline cellulose, crospovidone (type A), colloidal anhydrous silica, magnesium stearate (E470b) in the tablet core; hypromellose, macrogol 4000, titanium dioxide (E171), yellow iron oxide (E172) and red iron oxide (E172) in the film coating.

Nature and contents of the product and pack size

20 mg film-coated tablets: the film-coated tablets (tablets) are orange-brown in colour, round, biconvex, with bevelled edges, scored on one side and engraved with the number 20 on the other side, 10 mm in diameter. The tablet can be divided into equal doses.

Vardenafil Krka is available in packs containing:

  • 2, 4, 8, 12 and 20 film-coated tablets in blisters,
  • 2 × 1, 4 × 1, 8 × 1, 12 × 1 and 20 × 1 film-coated tablets in single-dose blisters.

Only some pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorization Holder

KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto, Šmarješka cesta 6, 8501 Novo mesto, Slovenia

Manufacturer

KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto, Šmarješka cesta 6, 8501 Novo mesto, Slovenia

TAD Pharma GmbH, Heinz-Lohmann-Straße 5, 27472 Cuxhaven, Germany

You can request further information regarding this medicinal product by contacting the local representative of the Marketing Authorization Holder:

KRKA Farmacéutica, S.L., C/ Anabel Segura 10, Pta. Baja, Oficina 1, 28108 Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain

This medicinal product is authorized in the Member States of the European Economic Area under the following names:

Member State

Name of the medicinal product

Sweden

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg

Austria

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg Filmtabletten

Belgium

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg filmomhulde tabletten

Denmark

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg filmovertrukne tabletter

France

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg

Finland

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg kalvopäällysteiset tabletit

Ireland

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg film-coated tablets

Italy

Vardenafil Krka

Norway

Vardenafil Krka

Portugal

Vardenafil Krka

Spain

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg film-coated tablets

United Kingdom

Vardenafil Krka 20 mg film-coated tablets 

Date of the last revision of this leaflet: May 2025

Detailed information about this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS): http://www.aemps.gob.es/.