Label information for Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis, drugs used to treat male erectile dysfunction, have been modified to include warnings about sudden hearing loss associated with use of these medications. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced the labeling changes after it had received more than two dozen reports of sudden hearing loss occurring among patients taking these drugs.
Viagra, Levitra and Cialis are PDE5 Inhibitors that relax muscles and increase blood flow to certain parts of the body. Viagra, the most well-known of the PDE5 Inhibitors on the market, was approved in 1998 to treat male erectile dysfunction. Another PDE5 Inhibitor, Revatio, is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension and improve exercise capacity in men and women.
In the 10 years since Viagra was approved, the FDA has received reports of sudden hearing loss in 29 patients taking PDE5 Inhibitors. In most of the 29 cases, the sudden hearing loss occurred within hours to two days of taking one of the drugs. In some of the cases, the sudden hearing loss was accompanied by tinnitus – ringing in the ears – and dizziness. All of the reports involved the loss of hearing in one ear, and in a third of the cases the hearing loss was temporary.
Many men who use Viagra, Levitra and Cialis are elderly, and gradual hearing loss is not uncommon in this group of patients. However, sudden hearing loss is highly unusual. As a result, the FDA asked the manufacturers of Viagra, Levitra and Cialis to update the drugs’ labeling to include warnings on sudden hearing loss.
The previous Viagra labeling did mention that deafness was a possible side effect of the drug, because a few cases were reported during its initial testing. But the new labeling on Viagra, Levitra and Cialis will include much more information. The warning on sudden hearing loss will be included in both the “Precautions” and “Adverse Reactions” sections of the label. In the “Precautions” area, the label now advises physicians to warn patients that sudden hearing loss is a possible side effect of PDE5 Inhibitors. It also says that patients should seek immediate medical attention if they experience a sudden loss or decrease in hearing or dizziness. In the “Adverse Reactions” section, the label now warns of “sudden decrease or loss of hearing”, whereas the previous label simply stated “deafness” as a possible side effect.
This is not the first time that the Viagra, Levitra and Cialis labels were modified due to a serious side effect. In 2005, the labels were changed to include warnings about vision loss associated with the drugs. This sudden vision loss was attributed to NAION (non arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy), a condition where blood flow is blocked to the optic nerve.
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