FDA warns Viagra, Cialis and Levitra can cause sudden hearing loss (2)
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Revatio is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) which is a serious medical condition in which continuous high blood pressure in arteries of the lungs weakens the heart muscle and often leads to heart failure and death.
The warning comes after a small number of patients taking the PDE5 inhibitors reported sudden hearing loss, sometimes accompanied by ringing in the ears and dizziness.
Viagra is made by the drug company Pfizer, Cialis by Eli Lilly and Levitra by GlaxoSmithKline.
A FDA review of data found 29 cases of sudden hearing loss with a relationship to the three drugs and in two thirds of the cases, the hearing loss was ongoing; the hearing loss was either partial or complete.
The review of side effects data was prompted by a case report in the April 2007 issue of the Journal of Laryngology & Otology involving sudden hearing loss in a man taking Viagra.
The FDA advises patients taking Cialis, Levitra, or Viagra who experience sudden hearing loss should immediately stop taking the drug and seek prompt medical attention.
Those using Revatio should continue taking their medication because the drug is used to treat a potentially life-threatening condition, and the FDA does not recommend patients abruptly stopping the medication; they should instead should consult their doctor if they experience sudden problems with their hearing.