FDA ALERT [07/2005]: FDA has approved new labeling for Cialis, Viagra, and Levitra regarding postmarketing reports of vision loss related to NAION (non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy). Most, but not all, of these patients had underlying anatomic or vascular risk factors for development of NAION, including: low cup to disc ratio (“crowded disc”), age over 50, diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia and smoking. Given the small number of events, the large number of users of PDE-5 inhibitors and the fact that this event occurs in a similar population to those who do not take these medicines, it is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to the use of PDE-5 inhibitors, to the patient’s underlying vascular risk factors or anatomical defects, to a combination of these factors, or other factors. We cannot currently draw a conclusion of cause and effect. FDA will continue to evaluate the issue.
This information reflects FDA’s current analysis of data available to FDA concerning this drug. FDA intends to update this sheet when additional information or analyses become available.
To report any unexpected adverse or serious events associated with the use of Cialis, please contact the FDA MedWatch program at 1-800-FDA-1088 or http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/report/hcp.htm
Recommendations
Physicians should:
Data Summary
As of May 18, 2005, a total of 43 cases of ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) among patients using the marketed PDE-5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) have been reported to the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System. Since approval, 38 cases have been identified in association with sildenafil, 4 cases have been identified in association with tadalafil and one case has been identified in association with vardenafil. Most of these cases (25/43) appear to be the non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) subtype. Thirty-six of the 43 cases reported accompanying visual loss, and 26 of these 36 cases reported the visual loss as continuing or permanent. Most of the patients in these cases reported vascular risk factors for NAION that overlap with vascular risk factors for erectile dysfunction (such as age over 50, low cup to disc ratio, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, etc), making direct attribution to PDE-5 inhibitors not possible. However, the clinical attributes of some of the cases (e.g., a temporal relationship in 19 sildenafil cases, 4 tadalafil cases, and the one vardenafil case, and the report of recurrent ocular symptoms that might reflect NAION in five sildenafil cases and one tadalafil case), raise concern in regard to the role of PDE-5 inhibitors.
The four cases associated with tadalafil use are summarized below:
Table 1: Demographic characteristics of 4 cases of ischemic optic neuropathy reported in association with tadalafil
Age |
Mean 57.5 years, Median 59 years (range, 45 to 67 years) |
Gender |
Male 4 cases |
Time to Onset† |
≤ 2 hrs – 1 case; 45 hrs – 1 case; 48-72 hrs – 1 case; ≤ 7 days – 1 case |
Dose |
20mg - 3 cases; Unknown/Not Reported – 1 case |
Recurrent ocular symptoms |
1 case |
Source of Report |
US 3 cases; Foreign 1 case |
Report Year |
2004 - 2 cases; 2005 – 2 cases |
Outcome |
Disabled – 1 case (No outcome reported in 3 cases) |
† time to onset after last tadalafil administration
All four cases reported vision loss that was continual or permanent. All four were reported from within 2 hrs to 7 days from tadalafil administration. Three of the 4 cases reported one or more of the following risk factors for developing ION: a low cup to disk ratio or “crowded disc” in 3 cases, recent post-operative hypotension in 1 case, and history of hyperlipidemia in 1 case.
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