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What are the Most Common Levitra® Side Effects?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

All medications for erectile dysfunction have side effects. Vardenafil or Levitra® side effects can be split into those that occur commonly or rarely, and they can be classified in terms of severity. Generally, severe side effects are uncommon. In contrast, Levitra® side effects that are less severe and occur fairly often include headaches, sensations of dizziness, flushing or vasodilation, sinus or nasal congestion, stomach upset and acid indigestion.

A number of clinical studies have confirmed common Levitra® side effects, and they indicate how often they might occur. Headache seems to occur most often, with about 15% of men reporting one with Levitra® use. Flushing may occur in over 10% of vardenafil users, and sinus or nasal problems could affect about 3-9% of men who take this drug. Approximately 4% of men might suffer acid indigestion, and the other common side effects tend to only occur in 2-3% of patients. It’s worth noting that each person who takes this medication is different and many men experience no side effects.

Physicians consider headaches, indigestion and nasal issues as mild side effects of Levitra®.
Physicians consider headaches, indigestion and nasal issues as mild side effects of Levitra®.

Most physicians would consider the above list of common Levitra® side effects as less severe. They may be bothersome but go away by discontinuing the use of the medicine, usually within a day or two; vardenafil isn’t a daily medicine, in any case. It is used shortly before sexual activity to help produce an erection in men with erectile dysfunction. Some men find it is so beneficial that they can tolerate a headache or other minor discomforts, especially since most people do not take it every day. A smaller percentage of vardenafil users may be made very uncomfortable by its common side effects, and may opt for using other medications or treatments, instead.

Levitra is prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction disorder.
Levitra is prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction disorder.

Most medications have to have relatively few commonly occurring serious side effects or they’re not approved for use by drug regulatory agencies. Greater allowance of side effects may occur when a drug’s benefits outweigh its risk. Still, most approved medications will only cause negative and dangerous results in a tiny percentage (<1%) of users.

The most serious but rare Levitra® side effects include anaphylactic shock from drug allergy, very high or low blood pressure, tinnitus, seizure, fainting, and vision changes. Probably the best-known uncommon side effect is priapism, which means an erection is sustained for more than four hours. Though this has jokingly been referred to as advantage, in reality, this condition requires immediate medical attention to prevent severe damage to the penis. Even if serious side effects are unlikely to occur, patients taking this medicine should be able to identify what they are so they can get help should they become suddenly ill.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

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    • Physicians consider headaches, indigestion and nasal issues as mild side effects of Levitra®.
      By: Igor Mojzes
      Physicians consider headaches, indigestion and nasal issues as mild side effects of Levitra®.
    • Levitra is prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction disorder.
      By: Barbara Helgason
      Levitra is prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction disorder.