Revatio® (Generic Name: sildenafil citrate)
Revatio (re-vah-tee-o) is a fairly new drug on the market used to treat pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension causes increased blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs. Because of this, patients are not able to tolerate physical activity and exercise as they used to. You may find patients with COPD that also have pulmonary hypertension. It is very important for all EMS providers to be aware of Revatio because it is made of the same drug as Viagra. The generic name for Viagra and Revatio is sildenafil (sill-dena-fill). Patients on Revatio are contraindicated from receiving Nitroglycerin the same as those on Viagra, Levitra or Cialis. Administration of nitroglycerin to a patient on Revatio could cause a sudden and severe drop in blood pressure. This is an important thing to remember because oftentimes the patient is on a generic form of a drug rather than the brand name. Look for patients with a history of chronic breathing problems—especially when brought on by exertion, to be on Revatio. If you encounter a patient taking Revatio that has indications for nitroglycerin (chest pain), document that the patient is on Revatio and therefore, is unable to receive nitroglycerin. As a reminder, the State and Regional protocol for withholding nitroglycerin has been increased to 72 hours in the presence of Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis (erectile dysfunction drugs). You can find additional information at: http://www.drugs.com/pro/revatio.html
Current and Updated Protocols can be accessed at the Regional EMS Council website: www.nycremsco.org.
Revatio (re-vah-tee-o) is a fairly new drug on the market used to treat pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension causes increased blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs. Because of this, patients are not able to tolerate physical activity and exercise as they used to. You may find patients with COPD that also have pulmonary hypertension. It is very important for all EMS providers to be aware of Revatio because it is made of the same drug as Viagra. The generic name for Viagra and Revatio is sildenafil (sill-dena-fill). Patients on Revatio are contraindicated from receiving Nitroglycerin the same as those on Viagra, Levitra or Cialis. Administration of nitroglycerin to a patient on Revatio could cause a sudden and severe drop in blood pressure. This is an important thing to remember because oftentimes the patient is on a generic form of a drug rather than the brand name. Look for patients with a history of chronic breathing problems—especially when brought on by exertion, to be on Revatio. If you encounter a patient taking Revatio that has indications for nitroglycerin (chest pain), document that the patient is on Revatio and therefore, is unable to receive nitroglycerin. As a reminder, the State and Regional protocol for withholding nitroglycerin has been increased to 72 hours in the presence of Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis (erectile dysfunction drugs). You can find additional information at: http://www.drugs.com/pro/revatio.html
Current and Updated Protocols can be accessed at the Regional EMS Council website: www.nycremsco.org.
More on pulmonary hypertension later...
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