Product Details

What you need to know before you use Caverject 10
Do not use Caverject:
• If you are allergic to alprostadil or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in
section 6).
• If you have sickle cell anaemia (a blood disease), leukaemia (cancer of the blood), multiple
myeloma (bone cancer) or any other problem which increases the risk of getting “priapism”.
This is a painful condition when your penis continues to remain erect.
• If you have an implant in your penis.
• If you have a condition (such as severe heart disease) in which sexual activity should be
avoided.
• If you have a penis which is scarred or not straight.
• If you have a tight foreskin.
Caverject must not be given to children (see section 2 Caverject contains benzyl alcohol and sodium).
Do not use any Caverject until your doctor says that it is right for you.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before using Caverject if you:
• have a lung, chest or heart disorder (in these cases you also should engage in sexual activity
with caution)
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• have a history of mental illness or addiction
• have had a mini-stroke (transient ischaemic attack)
• have one or more cardiovascular risk factors (these might include high blood pressure,
tobacco use, raised blood glucose, raised blood cholesterol, overweight and obesity)
• have one or more risk factors for stroke (these might include high blood pressure, raised
blood cholesterol, coronary artery disease, heart arrhythmia, diabetes)
Sexually transmitted diseases
Caverject will not protect you or your partner from sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS, herpes
and gonorrhoea. Injection of Caverject can start a small amount of bleeding where the needle enters.
This could increase the risk of transmission of such diseases. Condoms can protect against sexually
transmitted diseases. If you need advice about contraception or ‘safe sex’ speak to your doctor or
contact your local Family Planning Clinic.
Other medicines and Caverject
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other
medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription, and any of the following medicines
before you start using Caverject:
• medicines used for treating high blood pressure (antihypertensives)
• medicines used for respiratory and heart disease (sympathomimetics)
• medicines that widen blood vessels (vasodilative agents)
• other medicines for erectile dysfunction such as sildenafil or papaverine
• medicines to thin your blood such as warfarin or heparin, as you might bleed more when you
do the injection.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Caverject can be used by couples wishing to conceive and with a partner who is pregnant or breastfeeding. It will not protect your partner from pregnancy, so you should use a reliable contraceptive if
appropriate.
Driving and using machines
Caverject should not affect your ability to drive or use machines.
Caverject contains benzyl alcohol and sodium
This medicine contains benzyl alcohol 8.4 mg/ml. Benzyl alcohol may cause allergic reactions.
Using large amounts of Caverject may cause a build-up of benzyl alcohol in your body resulting in an
increased amount of acid in your blood (called metabolic acidosis). Patients with liver or kidney
disease need to be especially cautious and discuss with their doctor.
Benzyl alcohol has been linked with the risk of severe side effects including breathing problems
(called “gasping syndrome”) in young children. Caverject is not for use in children.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say essentially ‘sodium free.

How to store Caverject
• Keep the syringe and needles out of the sight and reach of children.
• Store below 25°C.
• When you have mixed the Caverject Powder with the solution, use it straight away. Do not
keep it to use later on.
• For single use only. Any unused Caverject should be discarded.
• Do not use Caverject if the injection is cloudy or contains particles.
• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date on the pack after EXP. The expiry date refers to
the last day of that month.
• For Caverject 40 micrograms vials: these vials should only be used within 3 months from when
they were given to you. Your doctor or pharmacist will make a note of this date on the packs.
You should not use the vials after this date has passed. Please note that this date may be earlier
than the “expiry” date printed on the packs.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.