By NewEasternHealth.com Research Team | Sources checked October 6, 2026
If you ever have chest pain and have recently taken a medicine for erectile dysfunction (ED), tell the emergency team exactly what you took and when. Say it even if it feels embarrassing. A few seconds of honesty can change which treatments they choose.
This article explains why and gives you a card to fill in ahead of time. It does not tell you how much of anything to take. Dosing belongs to your prescriber and pharmacist.
One note on scope: the drug-specific facts below come from the MedlinePlus page on sildenafil (Viagra). Other ED medicines have their own labels, so ask your pharmacist how this applies to the one you use.
Why the medication list matters
MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, lists nitrates among the medicines that should not be taken with sildenafil. It names isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate and nitroglycerin, which are medicines for chest pain. The MedlinePlus sildenafil page also says that if you ever need emergency treatment for a heart problem, the clinicians treating you will need to know when you last took sildenafil.
That is why timing matters, not just the name of the medicine. When you are in pain and frightened, details are easy to forget. Writing them down ahead of time takes the pressure off.
The same page says to tell your doctor if you use street drugs that contain nitrates, sometimes called “poppers” (amyl nitrate, amyl nitrite or butyl nitrate). A hospital team is there to treat you, not to judge you, and it can only account for what it knows.
Your emergency medication card
MedlinePlus advises keeping a written list of every prescription and over-the-counter medicine, vitamin, mineral and supplement you take. It suggests bringing the list to every appointment and to the hospital, and carrying it with you. Traditional and herbal products belong on that list too. MedlinePlus names St. John's wort as one that may interact with sildenafil. Copy the headings below into your phone notes or onto a wallet card.
ED medicines
- The name on the label (for example sildenafil, tadalafil or vardenafil), plus the brand name if you know it
- The date and time you last took it
- Who prescribed it and which pharmacy filled it
Heart and chest pain medicines
- Any nitrate, such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate or isosorbide mononitrate
- Any other heart or blood pressure medicine you take
Everything else
- Other prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements
- Herbal and traditional products
- Any recreational nitrate products
Easy to miss
- Sildenafil is also sold as Liqrev and Revatio, which are prescribed for a different condition. MedlinePlus says to use only one sildenafil product at a time. If you take any of them, put it on the card.
If chest pain, fainting, or severe dizziness starts
MedlinePlus lists dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, chest pain, and worsening shortness of breath as serious symptoms to report to your doctor immediately. It says that if chest pain, dizziness or nausea happens during sexual activity, you should call your doctor right away and avoid sexual activity until your doctor says otherwise. It also provides an emergency number for someone who has collapsed or is having trouble breathing.
Our own guidance, beyond what that page states: severe chest pain that doesn't ease isn't something to wait on, so call your local emergency number rather than waiting for a callback. Then:
- Tell the dispatcher and the crew which ED medicine you took and roughly when.
- Show them your card, or ask someone with you to read it out.
- Ask the crew how to handle any nitrate you carry, rather than deciding on your own in the moment.
Where self-directed dosing goes wrong
It can be tempting to “make up” for a pill that did not seem to work. Please do not. MedlinePlus says to take sildenafil exactly as directed, with no extra amount and no extra frequency. For ED, it says sildenafil usually should not be taken more than once every 24 hours. It adds that your doctor may set a different limit if you have certain health conditions or take certain medicines.
MedlinePlus also notes reports of heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeat, and sudden death in men who took sildenafil for ED. Most had heart problems beforehand, and it is not known whether the medicine, sexual activity, heart disease or a mix of causes was responsible. That does not mean these medicines are unsafe for everyone. It means the risks are worth discussing with a prescriber who knows your history.
Who should talk to a professional, and when
- Anyone who takes a nitrate, or is unsure whether a medicine counts as one. Ask your pharmacist before taking any ED medicine.
- Anyone with heart disease, chest pain (angina), a past heart attack, heart failure, an irregular heartbeat, a stroke, or high or low blood pressure. MedlinePlus lists these as things to tell your doctor about.
- Anyone who has had heart surgery in the last six months or has had chest pain during sexual activity.
- Anyone with sudden vision loss or sudden hearing loss. MedlinePlus says to call your doctor immediately and not to take another dose of sildenafil or a similar medicine until you have talked to them.
What you can do next
- Fill in the card today and save a copy on your phone.
- Show it to your prescriber and pharmacist at your next visit and ask them to check it for gaps.
- Tell every clinician who treats you which ED medicine you take. MedlinePlus advises this.
- If you take blood pressure or heart medicines, read our guide on ED medication safety for men on blood pressure and heart medications before your next appointment, so you know what to ask.
- For a serious side effect, you or your doctor can report it to the FDA's MedWatch program. MedlinePlus gives the phone number as 1-800-332-1088.
The limits of this article
This is general education from an independent publication. It is not medical advice and cannot account for your health history, your other medicines or your doctor's instructions. NewEasternHealth.com is not a medical practice and does not employ licensed clinicians. Rely on your prescriber, your pharmacist and emergency services for decisions about your care.
Sources
- Sildenafil: MedlinePlus Drug Information, National Library of Medicine (AHFS Patient Medication Information, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists). The page shows a last-revised date of August 15, 2023. We checked it on October 6, 2026.
- FDA Drug Safety and Availability. This FDA page links to drug safety communications, alerts and recalls, and is a place to look for official updates on any medicine you take. We checked it on October 6, 2026.