Drug interactions
Nitroglycerin po + Vardenafil
Severity: Contraindicated
Nitroglycerin po and Vardenafil: contraindicated interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Vardenafil enhances the vasodilating effect of nitrates, producing severe and potentially fatal hypotension. Ischemia may follow.
What this interaction means in plain words
Nitroglycerin po and Vardenafil are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Why it happens
Nitric oxide donation raises cGMP while vardenafil inhibits PDE5 degradation of cGMP, causing excessive vasodilation.
What to do
Do not co-administer. Keep nitrates at least 24 hours away from vardenafil and use non-nitrate alternatives when treatment is needed in that window.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Vardenafil
- Amyl nitrite + Vardenafil Contraindicated
- Glyceryl trinitrate pr + Vardenafil Contraindicated
- Isosorbide dinitrate + Vardenafil Contraindicated
- Isosorbide mononitrate + Vardenafil Contraindicated
- Nicorandil + Vardenafil Contraindicated
- Nitroglycerin rectal + Vardenafil Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Nitroglycerin po with Vardenafil?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Nitroglycerin po and Vardenafil are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Vardenafil enhances the vasodilating effect of nitrates, producing severe and potentially fatal hypotension. Ischemia may follow.
How serious is the interaction between Nitroglycerin po and Vardenafil?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not co-administer. Keep nitrates at least 24 hours away from vardenafil and use non-nitrate alternatives when treatment is needed in that window.
What other medicines interact with Vardenafil?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Vardenafil with, for example, Amyl nitrite, Glyceryl trinitrate pr, Isosorbide dinitrate. The full list is on the Vardenafil page.
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