Oopsy!

Author: Marya Lieberman

A US pharmaceutical company just announced a recall of two lots of drugs which were "inadvertently mixed up" by the manufacturer.

From the recall notice:  Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, which is a PDE-5 inhibitor, is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and is packaged in 100 count bottles, NDC 42291-748-01. Trazodone hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder and packaged in 1000 count bottles, NDC 42291-834-10. The affected lots of Sildenafil 100 mg Tablet (Lot 36884 with an expiration date of 03/2022) and Trazodone Hydrochloride 100 mg Tablet (Lot 36783 with an expiration date of 06/2022) were distributed to our distributors and wholesalers, and then further distributed nationwide.

Unintentional consumption of sildenafil may pose serious health risks to consumers with underlying medical issues. For example, sildenafil may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) lowering blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease often take nitrates.  Unintended intake of trazodone may result in adverse health consequences such as somnolence/sedation, dizziness, constipation, and blurred vision. These adverse events may be more concerning in elderly patients due to a subsequent increased risk for falls and driving impairment.