Sildenafil For Pulmonary Hypertension: Information For Parents and Carers
Sildenafil For Pulmonary Hypertension: Information For Parents and Carers
Sildenafil For Pulmonary Hypertension: Information For Parents and Carers
This leaflet has been written specifically about the use of You can dissolve the tablet in a small glass of
this medicine in children. The information may differ from water and then add some strong-flavoured drink
that provided by the manufacturer. Please read this leaflet (e.g. blackcurrant squash) to hide the taste.
carefully. Keep it somewhere safe so that you can read it Your child should drink it all straight away. Then
again. add some more water or squash to the glass,
swirl it round and ask your child to drink it. This
Name of drug makes sure they get all the medicine.
Sildenafil You can crush the tablet and mix it with a small
Brand names: Viagra®, Revatio® amount of soft food such as yogurt, honey or
jam. Make sure your child swallows it straight
Why is it important to take this medicine? away, without chewing.
Pulmonary hypertension means high blood pressure in the
lungs, which often occurs after heart surgery. Taking sildenafil Liquid medicine: measure out the right amount
will reduce the blood pressure in the lungs, so that they can using an oral syringe or medicine spoon. You
work properly. Sometimes babies on ventilators need it in the can get these from your pharmacist. Do not use
neonatal unit. a kitchen teaspoon as it will not give the right
5.0 ml
2.5 ml
amount.
What is sildenafil available as?
When should the medicine start working?
• Tablets: 20 mg (white, these contain small amounts of
lactose), 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg (blue) Your child will usually start taking the medicine while in
hospital. It will start to work within a few days, although you
• Liquid medicine can be ordered specially from your
may not notice any difference in your child. Your doctor will
pharmacist (e.g. 50 mg in 5 mL)
check that it is working.
When should I give sildenafil?
What if my child is sick (vomits)?
• Sildenafil is usually given four times a day. This is
• If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after having a
usually first thing in the morning, at about midday, late
dose of sildenafil, give them the same dose again.
in the afternoon and at bedtime. Ideally, these times
should be about 4 hours apart (e.g. 8 am, midday, 4 pm, • If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having a
8 pm). dose of sildenafil you do not need to give them another
dose. Wait until the next normal dose.
• Sildenafil is sometimes given three times a day. This
should be once in the morning, once in the early
What if I forget to give it?
afternoon and once in the evening. Ideally, these times
Do not give the missed dose. Just give the next dose as
are at least 6 hours apart, for example 8 am, 2 pm and
usual.
8 pm.
Give the medicine at about the same times each day so that Never give a double dose of sildenafil.
this becomes part of your child’s daily routine, which will help
you remember.
What if I give too much?
You are unlikely to do harm if you give an extra dose of
How much should I give? sildenafil by mistake, although your child may have more
Your doctor will work out the amount of sildenafil (the dose) side-effects.
that is right for your child. The dose will be shown on the If you are concerned that you may have given your child too
medicine label. much sildenafil, contact your doctor or NHS Direct
Your doctor may suggest that your child has a low dose to (0845 4647 in England and Wales; 08454 24 24 24 in
start with. They may then increase the dose as your child Scotland). Have the medicine or packaging with you if you
gets used to the medicine and depending on how your child telephone for advice.
responds to it.
Are there any possible side-effects?
It is important that you follow your doctor’s We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes
instructions about how much to give. they have other effects that we don’t want (side-effects).
How should I give it? • Your child may feel dizzy or light-headed when they
stand up, or may faint. Encourage them to stand up
Tablets should be swallowed with a glass of slowly, and to sit or lie down if they feel dizzy or light-
water, milk or juice. Your child should not chew headed. If this happens too often, contact your doctor to
the tablet. check your child’s blood pressure, as it may be too low.
• Your child’s hair may become thinner and some may fall General advice about medicines
out. It should grow back when the medicine is stopped. • Try to give medicines at about the same times each day,
Your child may get some of the following side-effects when to help you remember.
they first start taking sildenafil. They are usually mild and • If you are not sure a medicine is working, contact your
should usually wear off after a few days as your child gets doctor but continue to give the medicine as usual in the
used to the medicine. If they are still a problem after 2 weeks, meantime. Do not give any extra doses, as you may do
or you are worried, contact your doctor, but continue to give harm.
sildenafil. • Only give sildenafil to your child. Never give it to anyone
• They may get a headache, feel tired or become easily else, even if their condition appears to be the same, as
breathless. this could do harm.
• Your child’s eyesight may become blurry or double and • If you think someone else may have taken the medicine
their eyes may become red and painful or sensitive to by accident, contact your doctor.
bright light. • Make sure that you always have enough medicine.
• They may get mild indigestion or stomach pain, or may Order a new prescription at least 2 weeks before you
feel sick (nausea) or be sick (vomit). will run out (longer for liquid medicine).
• They may have a dry mouth. Eating citrus fruits (e.g. • Make sure that the medicine you have at home has
oranges) and taking sips of water may help. not reached the ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date on the
There may, sometimes, be other side-effects that are packaging. Give old medicines to your pharmacist to
not listed above. If you notice anything unusual and are dispose of.
concerned, contact your doctor.
Where I should keep this medicine?
Can other medicines be given at the same time as • Keep the medicine in a cupboard, away from heat and
sildenafil? direct sunlight. It does not need to be kept in the fridge
• You can give your child medicines that contain • Make sure that children cannot see or reach the
paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless your doctor has told medicine.
you not to. • Keep the medicine in the container it came in.
• Sildenafil should not be taken with some medicines that
Who to contact for more information
you get on prescription. Tell your doctor and pharmacist
about any other medicines that your child is taking Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will be able to give you more
before giving sildenafil. information about sildenafil and about other medicines used
to treat pulmonary hypertension.
• Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any
other medicines to your child. This includes herbal or You can also get useful information from:
complementary medicines. NHS Direct (England)
0845 4647 - www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Is there anything else I need to know about this NHS 24 (Scotland)
medicine? 08454 24 24 24 - www.nhs24.com
• Do not suddenly stop giving sildenafil to your child as NHS Direct (Wales/Galw lechyd Cymru)
their symptoms may come back. 0845 4647 - www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk
• The liquid medicine does not keep for long once it has NI Direct (Northern Ireland)
been opened. Write the date that you start it on the www.nidirect.gov.uk
bottle and make sure you do not keep it past the expiry British Lung Foundation
date given on the bottle. Helpline: 08458 50 50 20
• You may have heard that Viagra (which is one of the www.lunguk.org/supporting-you/children-and-parents
brands for sildenafil) is used to treat erectile dysfunction
(impotence). However, your child will be taking a much
lower dose of it for pulmonary hypertension. Sildenafil
may cause erections but this is rare and is nothing to
worry about.
www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
Version 1, January 2012. © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild 2011, all rights reserved. Reviewed by: January 2014.
The primary source for the information in this leaflet is the British National Formulary for Children. For details on any other sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through
our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. However, medicines can be used in different ways for different patients. It is
important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of these medicines in the UK, and may not apply
to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and
editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.