GoodRx Holdings Inc.
GoodRx Holdings Inc.
03/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/07/2024 15:10
Adcirca (Tadalafil) Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide
Key takeaways:
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Adcirca (tadalafil) is an oral medication that's FDA approved to manage pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in adults. It's available as a brand-name medication, lower-cost generics, and a branded generic called Alyq.
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The typical Adcirca dosage for PAH in adults is 40 mg by mouth once daily. You take two 20 mg tablets at the same time to get the 40 mg dose.
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Your prescriber may recommend 20 mg daily if you have kidney or liver problems or if you take ritonavir (Norvir), which interacts with Adcirca.
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There are ways to save on your Adcirca prescription. GoodRx can help you navigate your savings options.
Access savings to related medications
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Table of contents
Adcirca (tadalafil) can help improve blood flow to the lungs in adults living with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Unlike a similar medication called Revatio (sildenafil), Adcirca is only taken once daily. It's available as a brand-name medication, generics, and a branded generic called Alyq.
Determining the right Adcirca dosage involves considering a few different factors, such as your liver and kidney health. Other medications you take can also influence your dosage. Here's what you should know about typical Adcirca dosages for PAH.
What's the typical Adcirca dosage?
Adcirca comes as 20 mg oral tablets. The tablets can be taken with or without food. But if Adcirca upsets your stomach, you can try taking it with food to see if that helps.
The typical Adcirca dosage for PAH in adults is 40 mg by mouth once daily. Since Adcirca only comes as 20 mg tablets, you'll take two tablets at the same time for a 40 mg dose. The manufacturer recommends taking 40 mg at one time, rather than taking 20 mg twice a day.
If you have trouble swallowing Adcirca tablets whole, the active ingredient (tadalafil) comes in an oral suspension called Tadliq.
Good to know: Adcirca has only been studied in adults, so it's not approved for children. If your child has PAH, they will likely receive a different medication. Revatio is one example of a medication that can be used in children ages 1 to 17.
EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT
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How they compare: Many medications can manage pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Learn about the different PAH medications and how they match up against each other.
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Guide to pulmonary arterial hypertension: Experts break down the different symptoms, causes, and treatments of PAH.
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Portable oxygen therapy: Oxygen therapy can help with PAH symptoms such as shortness of breath. Learn more about portable oxygen options that allow you to use oxygen outside the home.
Are there any dosage adjustments for health conditions or medication interactions?
You may need a dosage adjustment for Adcirca based on certain health conditions and drug interactions.
The kidneys or liver break down or clear many medications. If you have kidney or liver problems, you may not be able to remove Adcirca from your body as well. In this case, you may need a lower dose.
Similarly, you may need dosage adjustments if you take medications that interact with Adcirca.
Kidney problems
If you have mild or moderate kidney damage, your prescriber may start your Adcirca dosage at 20 mg once a day. If you're tolerating the medication well, they may increase your dose to 40 mg once a day. People who have severe kidney damage or who are receiving dialysis should not take Adcirca.
Liver problems
Your prescriber may consider starting you on a lower dose of 20 mg once daily if you have mild or moderate liver disease. Adcirca isn't recommended if you have severe liver disease.
Medication interactions
Some medication interactions cause higher or lower levels of Adcirca in the body. So you may need a different Adcirca dose (or need to avoid it altogether) if you take certain medications.
If you're taking ritonavir (Norvir), you may start with the 20 mg Adcirca dose once daily. Depending on how you tolerate the medication, your dose may be increased to 40 mg daily. Ritonavir is one of the ingredients in Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir). It's recommended to avoid Paxlovid if you're taking Adcirca.
Certain medications significantly increase or decrease the amount of Adcirca in the body and should be avoided. Too much Adcirca increases the risk of side effects. Too little Adcirca can affect how well it works. Medications that should be avoided with Adcirca include rifampin (Rifadin) and antifungals like itraconazole (Sporanox).
What happens if you miss a dose of Adcirca?
If you miss a dose of Adcirca, take the dose as soon as you remember. But if it's nearly time for your next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose. Then, resume your usual schedule. Don't take a double or extra dose to make up for a missed dose. Be sure to follow your healthcare team's instructions, even if they're different from the above steps.
If you find that you're frequently missing doses, consider using tools that can help you stay on schedule. Setting an alarm on your phone or using medication reminder apps, such as GoodRx's Medicine Cabinet, are some examples.
What should you do if you take too much Adcirca?
If you take an extra dose of Adcirca by accident, don't panic. You're unlikely to have any significant side effects. You may notice effects such as headache and flushing that should go away on their own.
If you take large amounts of Adcirca, more serious effects are possible. You should contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or your healthcare team if you or someone else has taken a large amount of Adcirca. If there are severe or life-threatening symptoms, get medical help right away by calling 911 or going to the nearest ER.
How to save on Adcirca
There are several ways to save on Adcirca, which is available as a brand-name medication and lower-cost generic. A branded generic, Alyq, also tends to cost less than Adcirca.
Other options for saving on Adcirca include:
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Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay $0 per month for brand-name Adcirca using a savings card from the manufacturer.
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Save with patient assistance programs. If you're uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Adcirca's patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.
The bottom line
Adcirca (tadalafil) is an oral medication that manages pulmonary arterial hypertension in adults. The typical Adcirca dosage is 40 mg once daily, taken as two 20 mg tablets. Some people may start with a lower dose, such as those with kidney or liver problems or taking interacting medications.
Talk to your healthcare team if you have any questions about your Adcirca dosage.
References
AvKARE. (2024). Alyq- tadalafil tablet, film coated [package insert].
MedlinePlus. (2023). Tadalafil.
View All References (2)
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Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc. (2023). Paxlovid- nirmatrelvir and ritonavir [package insert].
United Therapeutics Corporation. (2023). Adcirca- tadalafil tablet [package insert].
GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
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