Levitra Tablets: Vardenafil Doses, Uses and How They Work

Levitra tablets contain vardenafil, a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in adult men. Vardenafil belongs to a group of medicines known as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, usually shortened to PDE5 inhibitors.

The Levitra name is historically associated with vardenafil tablets, while current UK-authorised generic vardenafil products are listed in 5mg, 10mg and 20mg strengths. Current electronic Medicines Compendium listings show multiple authorised vardenafil film-coated tablets across these three strengths.

The usual recommended dose of a standard film-coated vardenafil tablet is 10mg, taken when needed approximately 25 to 60 minutes before anticipated activity. Depending on effectiveness and tolerability, the dose may be reduced to 5mg or increased to a maximum of 20mg. Vardenafil should normally be taken no more than once per day.

Levitra or vardenafil does not automatically produce an erection after the tablet is swallowed. Appropriate stimulation is required for the medicine to work.

For UK users, there is also an important availability distinction. NHS formulary information published in late 2025 states that the Levitra brand was discontinued in the UK, although parallel-imported Levitra may still appear in supply records. Generic vardenafil tablets remain available.

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What Is a Levitra Tablet?

A Levitra tablet is a vardenafil medicine used for erectile dysfunction.

Vardenafil is the active medicinal ingredient, while Levitra is the well-known brand name. The relationship can be summarised as:

Vardenafil = active ingredient

Levitra = branded vardenafil tablet

This means an authorised generic vardenafil tablet contains the same active medicine even though its colour, shape, markings or packaging may differ from older Levitra tablets.

Current UK medicine listings include generic vardenafil 5mg, 10mg and 20mg film-coated tablets.

What Are Levitra Pills Used For?

The word “pills” is often used informally when people search for Levitra, but the authorised dosage form is a tablet.

Vardenafil tablets are used to treat erectile dysfunction in adult men.

ED may involve:

• Difficulty getting an erection
• Difficulty keeping an erection
• Erections that repeatedly lose firmness
• Erections that are less reliable than previously

Current authorised product information defines ED as an inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory activity.

Vardenafil supports the erectile response while the medicine is active, but it does not necessarily remove the underlying reason why ED developed.

What Is the Active Ingredient in Levitra Tablets?

The active ingredient is vardenafil.Current UK generic product information describes vardenafil tablets as containing vardenafil hydrochloride trihydrate equivalent to the stated amount of vardenafil.

For example, an authorised 10mg tablet contains 10mg vardenafil.

Likewise, authorised UK products are listed at:

• 5mg vardenafil
• 10mg vardenafil
• 20mg vardenafil.

Is Vardenafil the Same as Levitra?

Yes in terms of active medicine.Levitra was a branded vardenafil product. Generic vardenafil tablets provide the same active drug without using the Levitra brand name.This means that Levitra 10mg is a branded tablet containing 10mg vardenafil. Vardenafil 10mg is a generic tablet containing 10mg vardenafil.The tablets may not look identical because generic manufacturers can use different shapes, colours, markings and inactive ingredients.

Are Levitra Tablets Still Available in the UK?

The original branded Levitra product is no longer part of normal UK supply.

A November 2025 NHS decision document states that the Levitra brand of vardenafil had been discontinued in the UK, while noting that a parallel import existed.

Current NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service records still show some Levitra-labelled presentations in supply databases alongside generic vardenafil products.

At the same time, current UK electronic Medicines Compendium listings show authorised generic:

• Vardenafil 5mg tablets
• Vardenafil 10mg tablets
• Vardenafil 20mg tablets.

Someone previously familiar with Levitra tablets may therefore now receive generic vardenafil following an appropriate prescription.

What Strengths Do Levitra or Vardenafil Tablets Come In?

The standard film-coated strengths are 5mg, 10mg and 20mg.These are not interchangeable simply according to personal preference.The usual treatment approach is 10mg as a starting dose, 5mg as a lower dose and 20mg as a maximum dose.The prescriber chooses the dose according to effectiveness, side effects, other medicines and relevant medical conditions.

What Is Levitra 5mg?

Levitra 5mg refers to the lower vardenafil strength.

A 5mg dose may be appropriate when:

• A lower starting dose is needed
• 10mg produces troublesome side effects
• An interacting medicine affects vardenafil metabolism
• Liver or kidney function requires greater caution
• An alpha-blocker is being used

Current authorised information recommends considering a 5mg starting dose in mild or moderate liver impairment.A 5mg dose may also be appropriate with certain interacting medicines.

What Is Levitra 10mg?

10mg is the usual recommended starting dose for standard vardenafil tablets.It is generally taken as approximately 25 to 60 minutes before sexual activity.If 10mg produces an adequate response and is well tolerated, there may be no reason to increase to 20mg.More medicine is not automatically better.

What Is Levitra 20mg?

Levitra 20mg refers to the maximum standard vardenafil strength.A prescriber may consider increasing from 10mg to 20mg when the 10mg dose has been used correctly, but the effect is inadequate. Current UK-authorised information gives 20mg as the maximum recommended dose.It should still normally be taken no more than once per day.

Is Levitra 20mg Stronger Than 10mg?

Yes in terms of medicine quantity.A 20mg tablet contains twice as much vardenafil as a 10mg tablet.However, twice the dose does not mean twice the clinical effect.The higher strength exists because some patients do not obtain an adequate response from 10mg, while others achieve good results without requiring the maximum dose.Increasing exposure can also increase side-effect risk.The appropriate dose is therefore based on individual response and tolerability rather than automatically choosing 20mg.

How Do Levitra Tablets Work?

Vardenafil blocks an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5, or PDE5.During the normal erectile response, chemical signalling increases levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP, within erectile tissue.cGMP helps smooth muscle relax and supports increased blood flow.PDE5 breaks down cGMP.By inhibiting PDE5, vardenafil supports this blood-flow response for longer.This can make achieving and maintaining an erection easier for someone with ED.

Does a Levitra Tablet Cause an Automatic Erection?

No.This is one of the most important points to understand.Current authorised UK product information explicitly states that sexual stimulation is required for vardenafil to be effective.Taking the tablet and waiting for an erection to appear automatically is therefore not how the medicine works.Vardenafil strengthens the body's normal erectile pathway once it has been activated.

How Long Does a Levitra Tablet Take to Work?

The standard recommendation is to take vardenafil approximately 25 to 60 minutes before anticipated activity.That is a practical dosing window rather than an exact timer.Some people can experience an adequate response earlier, while others may require more time.

Factors affecting onset can include:

• Food
• Dose
• Individual absorption
• Underlying ED severity
• Other medicines
• Appropriate stimulation

Can Levitra Work in Around 15 Minutes?

Some clinical studies of vardenafil have demonstrated an early response in certain men.However, the standard authorised instructions for film-coated vardenafil tablets remain approximately 25 to 60 minutes beforehand.An early possible response should therefore not be turned into a promise that every Levitra or vardenafil tablet will work within 15 minutes.

Can Levitra Tablets Be Taken With Food?

Yes.Vardenafil film-coated tablets can be taken with or without food.However, the onset can be delayed when the tablet is taken with a high-fat meal.This means someone who usually notices an effect relatively quickly may find that the medicine takes longer after a substantial high-fat meal.

Does Food Stop Levitra From Working?

Not necessarily.The authorised guidance says a high-fat meal may delay onset, not that food makes vardenafil completely ineffective.If timing is important, taking the tablet immediately after a particularly heavy meal may make the response less predictable.

Can You Take a Levitra Tablet on an Empty Stomach?

Yes.Because vardenafil can be taken with or without food, taking it without a meal is permitted.Some people may prefer this because a high-fat meal can delay onset.Follow the instructions provided with the prescribed medicine rather than changing the dose to compensate for food.

How Often Can You Take Levitra Tablets?

The maximum recommended standard dosing frequency is once per day.This means you should not take another dose later the same day simply because the first tablet appears not to have worked.If treatment repeatedly provides an inadequate response, the dose or treatment strategy should be reviewed.

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Can You Take Two Levitra Tablets Together?

Do not combine tablets in a way that takes the total dose above the prescribed amount.The authorised maximum standard dose is 20mg.For example, taking two 20mg tablets would produce a 40mg dose, which is above the authorised maximum.Taking more medicine does not guarantee a better erection and can increase adverse effects.

How Long Do Levitra Tablets Last?

Vardenafil is generally considered an on-demand ED treatment rather than an all-day medicine.Its useful response window extends for several hours after dosing, but individual timing varies.The important distinction is that the medicine supports an erection when stimulation occurs during its active period.It does not mean an erection should remain continuously present.A prolonged erection lasting four hours or more requires urgent medical attention.

What Are the Common Side Effects of Levitra Tablets?

The adverse effects associated with Levitra are those of vardenafil.Current authorised UK information identifies:Headaches are very common.

Common effects include:

• Dizziness
• Flushing
• Nasal congestion
• Indigestion.

Not everybody experiences these effects.Side effects can also differ according to dose and individual sensitivity.

Can Levitra Cause a Headache?

Yes.Headache is the most prominent common adverse effect of vardenafil and is classified as very common in authorised medicine information.A persistent or severe headache should be discussed with a healthcare professional, particularly if it repeatedly occurs after each dose.

Can Levitra Cause Flushing?

Yes.Flushing is listed as a common vardenafil adverse effect.It results from the medicine's effects on blood vessels.

Can Levitra Cause a Blocked Nose?

Yes.Nasal congestion is another recognised common side effect.Some people may notice mild nasal stuffiness while the medicine is active.

Can Levitra Cause Indigestion?

Yes.Dyspepsia, meaning indigestion, is listed as a common adverse effect of vardenafil.Other gastrointestinal effects such as reflux, nausea or abdominal discomfort are less common.

Can Levitra Cause Dizziness?

Yes.Dizziness is categorised as a common vardenafil side effect.If you feel dizzy after taking a tablet, avoid activities where impaired balance or alertness could be dangerous until you know how the medicine affects you.

Can Levitra Affect Vision?

Visual disturbances can occur, although they are less common than headache or flushing.

Authorised vardenafil information lists possible visual effects including:

• Visual disturbance
• Altered colour perception
• Eye discomfort
• Sensitivity to light.

Rare serious visual events have also been reported.A sudden significant change or loss of vision requires urgent medical assessment.

Can Levitra Affect Hearing?

Tinnitus and vertigo are listed among less common vardenafil adverse effects, while sudden deafness has also been reported.Sudden hearing reduction or loss following a PDE5 inhibitor should be assessed promptly.

Can Levitra Cause a Prolonged Erection?

Yes, although priapism is rare.An erection lasting four hours or longer is a medical emergency because prolonged erections can damage penile tissue.Do not interpret an unusually long erection as evidence that the medicine is simply “working especially well.”

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Who Should Not Take Levitra or Vardenafil Tablets?

Vardenafil is not suitable for everyone.Current UK-authorised contraindications include certain people with:

• Nitrate or nitric oxide donor treatment
• Riociguat treatment
• Very low blood pressure
• Severe liver impairment
• End-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis
• Recent stroke or heart attack
• Unstable angina
• Certain serious eye conditions.

Some potent interacting medicines can also make vardenafil unsuitable.

This is why the medicine requires an appropriate prescription assessment.

Can Levitra Tablets Be Taken With Nitrates?

No.The co-administration of vardenafil with nitrates or nitric oxide donors is contraindicated.Nitrates can include medicines used to treat angina.Combining them with a PDE5 inhibitor can cause excessive and potentially dangerous lowering of blood pressure.This is one of the most important safety checks before vardenafil is prescribed.

Can Levitra Be Taken With Riociguat?

No.Current authorised vardenafil information states that PDE5 inhibitors including vardenafil must not be combined with riociguat because of the risk of symptomatic low blood pressure.

Does Levitra Interact With Antibiotics?

Some antibiotics can significantly affect vardenafil metabolism.Vardenafil is mainly processed through the CYP3A4 enzyme pathway.Current authorised guidance states that when vardenafil is used with erythromycin or clarithromycin, the vardenafil dose should not exceed 5mg.Always tell the prescriber about temporary medicines such as antibiotics, not just medicines you take continuously.

Can Levitra Be Taken With Alpha-Blockers?

Additional caution is required.Both vardenafil and alpha-blockers can lower blood pressure.A lower vardenafil dose may be needed, and treatment should generally begin only when the person is stable on their alpha-blocker regimen.The complete medicine list therefore matters when assessing whether vardenafil is appropriate.

Can Older Men Take Levitra Tablets?

Vardenafil can be used in older adults when clinically appropriate.Routine dose reduction is not automatically required simply because someone is over 65.However, current authorised information says that an increase to the maximum 20mg dose should be considered carefully according to individual tolerability.

Can You Take Levitra With Kidney Problems?

The appropriate dose depends on kidney function.Current authorised information states that no adjustment is normally required for mild to moderate renal impairment.In severe renal impairment, a 5mg starting dose should be considered, with subsequent adjustment according to effectiveness and tolerability.End-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis is listed among circumstances in which use is contraindicated.

Can You Take Levitra With Liver Problems?

Dose adjustment can be necessary.A 5mg starting dose should be considered in mild and moderate hepatic impairment.For moderate liver impairment, the authorised maximum dose is 10mg, rather than 20mg.Severe liver impairment is a contraindication.

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Can Levitra Be Combined With Another ED Tablet?

Do not independently combine vardenafil with another PDE5 inhibitor or ED medicine.Different ED tablets can affect the same blood-pressure and vascular pathways, and combining them can increase medicine exposure and adverse-effect risk.If vardenafil is not working adequately, treatment should be reviewed rather than combined without professional guidance.

What If a Levitra Tablet Does Not Work?

One unsuccessful attempt does not necessarily mean vardenafil will never work.Before considering the medicine ineffective, review whether:

• The prescribed dose was taken
• 25 to 60 minutes were allowed
• A high-fat meal may have delayed onset
• Appropriate stimulation occurred
• Another medicine could be interacting
• The underlying ED may be more severe

The normal dose can be adjusted between 5mg, 10mg and 20mg according to response and tolerability.Do not exceed 20mg or take a second dose on the same day.

Why Might Levitra Work on One Occasion but Not Another?

Variation can happen.Factors that may change the response include:

• Meal composition
• Timing
• Alcohol
• Stress
• Tiredness
• Other medicines
• Progression of an underlying health condition

A high-fat meal is specifically recognised as capable of delaying the onset of standard vardenafil tablets.Repeated changes in response may justify a clinical review.

Are Generic Vardenafil Tablets Weaker Than Levitra?

They should not be assumed to be weaker simply because they are generic.An authorised generic vardenafil product contains the stated amount of vardenafil.Current UK listings include multiple 5mg, 10mg and 20mg authorised generic products.The tablet may look different from historical Levitra because authorised generic manufacturers can use different:

• Colours
• Shapes
• Markings
• Coatings
• Inactive ingredients

The active medicinal ingredient remains vardenafil.

Why Do Vardenafil Tablets Look Different?

Different authorised manufacturers can use different tablet designs.For example, one current authorised UK 10mg vardenafil tablet is described as yellow-orange and round, while another authorised 10mg product is described as light orange to orange and marked “480.”This demonstrates why a generic vardenafil tablet should not be expected to look exactly like an older Levitra tablet.Authenticity should be judged by the regulated medicine supply and packaging rather than colour or shape alone.

Is Levitra a Prescription Medicine?

Yes.Current authorised vardenafil tablets are classified as prescription-only medicines in the UK.A clinical assessment is important because vardenafil has meaningful contraindications, interactions and dose adjustments.

Can You Buy Levitra Tablets Without a Prescription?

Vardenafil requires prescription supply in the UK.Someone searching specifically for Levitra may now encounter generic vardenafil because the original branded product has been discontinued from normal UK supply.A seller offering unrestricted prescription vardenafil without a proper clinical process should be treated cautiously.

What Is the Difference Between Film-Coated and Orodispersible Vardenafil Tablets?

Standard 5mg, 10mg and 20mg vardenafil products discussed in this guide are film-coated tablets.Historically, a 10mg orodispersible formulation was also available. Orodispersible means the tablet dissolves in the mouth rather than being swallowed in the normal way.The formulations should not automatically be treated as equivalent simply because both may contain 10mg vardenafil.

Historical EMA information shows that the orodispersible formulation had its own administration and food instructions.The NHS document confirming discontinuation of the Levitra brand also noted that the orodispersible vardenafil product had been discontinued.

Levitra Tablets: The Key Takeaway

Levitra tablets contain vardenafil, a PDE5-inhibitor medicine used for erectile dysfunction. The active medicine is vardenafil, so an authorised generic vardenafil tablet provides the same active ingredient without using the original Levitra brand name.The standard tablet strengths are 5mg, 10mg and 20mg. Current UK medicine listings continue to show authorised generic products at all three strengths.

The usual recommended starting dose is 10mg approximately 25 to 60 minutes before sexual activity. It may be reduced to 5mg or increased to a maximum of 20mg according to effectiveness and tolerability. The maximum standard frequency is once per day.

Standard vardenafil tablets can be taken with or without food, although a high-fat meal may delay onset. Appropriate stimulation is still required for the medicine to work.

Common vardenafil side effects include dizziness, flushing, nasal congestion and indigestion, while headache is classified as very common.

Vardenafil must not be combined with nitrate medicines or riociguat, and additional caution or dose adjustment can be necessary with some antibiotics, alpha-blockers and certain liver or kidney conditions.

Finally, UK availability has changed. The original Levitra brand was reportedly discontinued in the UK in 2025, although parallel-imported Levitra-labelled products may still exist. Generic vardenafil 5mg, 10mg and 20mg remains available through current authorised UK medicine listings.

For users searching “Levitra tablet,” “Levitra tablets,” “Levitra pills” or “vardenafil Levitra tablet,” the central point is therefore simple: Levitra is a brand name for vardenafil, while current UK treatment is commonly supplied as authorised generic vardenafil in the same standard strengths.