CIALIS® (tadalafil): Official Site

Glossary


A B C D E F G H L M N P S T V


A

Artery	A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart

Atherosclerosis	Deposition of lipids and plaque formation in arteries, leading to hardening and decrease in size of arterial lumen

Autonomic nerve	A nerve with involuntary neural function, such as vasodilation


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B

Body (of the penis)	The main segment of the penis. It contains the erectile tissues that fill up with blood during sexual excitement

Blue vision	Distortion of color perception that results in increased blue color


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C

cGMP	Abbreviation for cyclic guanosine monophosphate. A compound that promotes vascular smooth muscle relaxation

Corpus cavernosum (Corpus caverNOsum)	Spongy erectile tissue of the penis

Corpus spongiosum (Corpus sponjiOsum)	Midventral mass of erectile tissue that encloses the penile portion of the urethra

Creatinine (creAtineen)	A compound that is present in the blood, urine, and skeletal muscle

cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) (siklik GWAnosin mahnoFAHsfate)	A substance whose formation is catalyzed by nitric oxide during sexual stimulation; cGMP causes smooth muscle relaxation that allows blood to flow into the erectile tissue (corpus cavernosum) of the penis


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D

Diabetes mellitus	Disease caused by insulin deficiency or diminished tissue response to insulin


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E

Erection	A penile condition characterized by enlargement and filling of erectile tissue with blood

Erectile bodies	Erectile tissue of the penis to become erect by filling with blood

Erectile dysfunction	The inability to attain or maintain an erection satisfactory to complete intercourse


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F

Flaccid (FLAsid)	Referring to the non-erect, flabby state of the penis when a man is not sexually aroused


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G

Glans penis	The distal end of the penis where the corpus spongiosum enlarges to form an acorn-shaped region


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H

Hyperlipidemia (hyperlipiDEEMia)	Abnormally high levels of lipids in the blood

Hypertension	High blood pressure


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L

Libido	Sexual drive


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M

Multiple sclerosis	A debilitating disease affecting nerve cells


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N

Neurogenic	Originating in the nervous system

Neurotransmitter	A chemical messenger used by nerve cells to transmit nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another

Nitric Oxide (Nitrik oxide)	A substance that mediates vascular smooth muscle relaxation


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P

Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) (fahsfodaiESterase)	Enzyme that breaks down cGMP during an erection, ultimately returning the penis to a flaccid state

Prostate gland	An accessory reproductive gland, located under the urinary bladder and responsible for the secretion of a milky fluid that is important for the production and viability of sperm

Priapism (PRYapism)	Persistent abnormal and painful erection of the penis

Peyronie's disease (pay raNEEZ disease)	A condition of unknown etiology in which there is a structural deformity of the erectile tissue of the penis

Psychogenic	Psychological


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S

Sensory	Relating to afferent nerves that transmit signals to the central nervous system so that an organism has perception of self and the environment

Smooth muscle	A type of involuntary muscle


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T

Testis	The male sexual organ that is responsible for the production of reproductive cells (sperm) and testosterone, the principal male sex hormone. (Plural = testes)

Testosterone	The primary male sex hormone. It is produced by the testes, and its main function is mediating the development, growth, and maturation of the male sex organs


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V

Vasodilator (VāzoDYlater)	An agent that causes dilation of blood vessels

Vein	A blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart

Venous plexus	A vascular network formed by numerous connections between veins


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CIALIS is indicated for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Important Safety Information for CIALIS^® (tadalafil)

Who Should Not Take CIALIS?

Do not take CIALIS if you:

take medicines called "nitrates" which are often prescribed for chest pain as the combination may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure
use recreational drugs called "poppers" like amyl nitrite and butyl nitrite
are allergic to CIALIS or ADCIRCA ^™ (tadalafil), or any of its ingredients

What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Taking CIALIS?

CIALIS is not right for everyone. Only your healthcare provider and you can decide if CIALIS is right for you. Before taking CIALIS, tell your doctor about all your medical problems, particularly if you have or ever had:

an allergy to CIALIS or ADCIRCA or any of its ingredients
heart problems such as angina, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, or have had a heart attack
high or low blood pressure
stroke
liver or kidney problems
severe vision loss, including a condition called NAION
retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic (runs in families) eye disease
a deformed penis shape or Peyronie's disease
an erection that lasted more than 4 hours
blood cell problems such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia

Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe for you to have sexual activity. You should not take CIALIS if your healthcare provider has told you not to have sexual activity because of your health problems. Stop sexual activity and get medical help right away if you get symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, or nausea during sex.

Can Other Medicines Affect CIALIS?

After taking a single tablet, some of the active ingredient of CIALIS remains in your body for more than 2 days. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take especially if you take:

medicines called “nitrates” which are often prescribed for chest pain
alpha blockers often prescribed for prostate problems
blood pressure medications
medicines for HIV or antifungal medications
erythromycin
other medicines or treatments for ED
CIALIS is also marketed as ADCIRCA for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Do not take both CIALIS and ADCIRCA. Do not take sildenafil citrate (Revatio^™) with CIALIS.

What Should I Avoid While Taking CIALIS?

Do not use other ED medicines or ED treatments while taking CIALIS.
Do not drink too much alcohol when taking CIALIS (for example, 5 glasses of wine or 5 shots of whiskey). Drinking too much alcohol can increase your chances of getting a headache or getting dizzy, increasing your heart rate, or lowering your blood pressure.

What Are The Possible Side Effects Of CIALIS?

The most common side effects with CIALIS are: headache, indigestion, back pain, muscle aches, flushing, and stuffy or runny nose. These side effects usually go away after a few hours. Men who get back pain and muscle aches usually get it 12 to 24 hours after taking CIALIS. Back pain and muscle aches usually go away within 2 days. Call your healthcare provider if you get any side effect that bothers you or one that does not go away.

Uncommon side effects include:

An erection that won't go away: As with any ED tablet, in the rare event of an erection lasting more than 4 hours, seek immediate medical help to avoid long-term injury.

In rare instances, men taking prescription ED tablets (including CIALIS) reported a sudden decrease or loss of vision or hearing (sometimes with ringing in the ears and dizziness). It's not possible to determine if these events are related directly to the ED tablets or to other factors. If you have a sudden decrease or loss of vision or hearing, stop taking any ED tablet, including CIALIS and call your doctor right away.

CIALIS does not:

cure ED
increase a man's sexual desire
protect a man or his partner from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV
serve as a male form of birth control

CIALIS is available by prescription only. For additional safety information, talk to your doctor about this medicine and see the full Patient Information.

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