PAPAVERINE

Papaverine Information

Papaverine is a vasodilator class medicine, used to increase the blood flow by dilating the blood vessels. Papaverine is used in the case of male patients who are affected by erectile dysfunctions. The medicine is injected intracavernosally into the penis, in order to increase blood flow and thus attain an erection.

Papaverine Indications

Papaverine is prescribed for the symptomatic treatment of male patients who are affected by erectile dysfunctions and have difficulties or are unable to attain an erection. This medicine is not intended to be used in the case of other medical affections, however medical practice has shown that drugs often have other uses apart from those initially intended. As such, there may be other uses for Papaverine as well. If you have been prescribed a treatment course with this medicine and are not suffering from erectile dysfunctions, it is best to ask your prescriber for further information.

Papaverine Warnings

Papaverine may cause unwanted adverse reactions in patients that are suffering from bleeding disorders, from liver disease (this drug may cause or worsen preexisting liver damage), from priapism (long-lasting erections, usually over 4 hours at a time) or from sickle cell disease – patients suffering from sickle cell disease have a greater risk of developing priapism during or after their Papaverine treatment. This drug should not be administered to individuals that are suffering from hypersensitivity to this medicine, to any of its ingredient substances or to similar medication.

This medicine is not expected to behave differently when administered to elderly patients, of over 50 years of age; however studies performed in this direction indicate a higher chance of developing adverse reactions to the medicine. Administration of this pharmaceutical product in children and young adults (of or younger than 18 years of age) is not recommended.

At this time there are no conclusive studies regarding the effects of this medicine on pregnant or lactating patients. Please note that this medicine is only intended for use in male patients.

Papaverine Intake Guidelines

Cleanse the area of administration with a alcohol prior to injecting the medicine. Only use sterile needles. The Papaverine solution needs to be slowly injected at the base of the penis. No pain should appear during the process, although in some cases a tingling sensation at the tip of the penis may be present. If the process is painful or if the area of administration becomes bruised or swollen, stop administering the medicine as you are injecting it under the skin. Withdraw the needle and position it again correctly before continuing.

After the Papaverine injection is complete, you need to apply pressure at the site of injection to prevent bruising and massage the penis as directed by the doctor. This will allow the drug to spread throughout the penis improving the medicine’s effect. Properly dispose of the needle and syringe. Papaverine begins to take affect within 10 minutes; it is recommended that sexual intercourse is attempted within 2 hours.

Papaverine Dosage

The generic dosage of Papaverine for erectile dysfunctions is of 30 to 60 mg per dose, injected slowly at the base of the penis. The injection should be completed in 1 to 2 minutes. You should not inject more than one dose per day, and you should not use the drug for two days in a row or more than three times per week.

The above dosage is informational and may differ from one case to another. Your personal health care provider will provide you with the exact Papaverine dosage that you should employ, as well as with the intake directions best suited for your case. The directions may include other specifications that are not mentioned in this leaflet.

Papaverine Overdose

You should never administer larger doses of Papaverine than prescribed by your consulting health care specialist. This may result in an overdose with this medicine, which may pose serious risks to your health state. Both short term and long term consequences are possible, and the severity of the overdose condition scales with the amount of Papaverine injected. If you think you have used too much of the medicine, you should immediately consult with a specialized health care professional. In severe situations, emergency medical care may be required.

Papaverine Missed Dose

Papaverine is not administered according to a strict intake schedule. As such, missing a dose of the medicine does not have any serious implications, and is not expected to cause any adverse effects. You should completely skip taking the missed dose if you forgot to apply the injection before attempting sexual intercourse, unless your prescriber has directed otherwise.

Papaverine Side Effects

Papaverine may cause a number of side effects – unwanted adverse reactions characterized by symptoms that were not present before beginning the treatment. In many cases, these are a result of the organism adjusting to the medication and will go away after a few days. However, if these symptoms become persistent or particularly bothersome, it is advised to check with your personal health care professional in order to determine the causes and take the appropriate corrective measures.

The most severe side effects associated with Papaverine treatment include allergic reactions to the medicine, dizziness, prolonged erections (of over 4 hours), painful erection, the appearance of lumps in the penis. Any of these should be a reason for concern and should be presented to the appropriate health care professional as soon as possible. Other, mild adverse reactions include swelling, bleeding or bruising at the injection site, mild burning along the penis or difficult ejaculation.

Papaverine Drug Reactions

You should inform your prescriber about any other drugs you are currently using before starting a treatment with Papaverine. He or she will take the appropriate measures to avoid any accidental drug interactions.