About Caverject

The information below should not be taken as a substitute for qualified medical advice. Consult your health care provider before taking Caverject.

Caverject is an injectable prostaglandin used to treat specific kinds of erectile dysfunction. It belongs in a class of medications called "vasodilators." They work by causing the blood vessels in the penis to relax and widen so more blood may flow into the surrounding tissue, causing the penis to become erect. As the drug is metabolized by the body, the blood flow to the penis normalizes and the erection subsides.

Patients must receive training from their health care provider before a prescription for Caverject can be used in the home. The medicine is prescribed in powder or pellet form. The powder is dissolved in sterile fluid and then injected directly into the penis, while the pellet is used as a suppository and is placed in the opening of the urethra. Effects should be noticed within five to twenty minutes after injection, and last for approximately one hour.

Caverject should not be used more often than three times weekly, with at least one day of rest between doses.

There are no known serious side effects in using Caverject, though there may be minor, temporary bleeding at the injection site which can be blotted with a sterile alcohol pad.

Overdose may result in a painful erection which does not subside in one hour. This syndrome is also known as "priapism." Patients who experience the symptoms of an overdose should consult their health care provider as soon as possible. In case of severe allergic reaction, patients should contact their health care provider immediately.