Caverject®

What is Caverject?

Caverject is a branded injectable ED treatment that contains the active ingredient alprostadil. It’s typically prescribed when other treatments (like Viagra and Cialis) haven’t been effective – or if you can’t take them for medical reasons.

How does Caverject work?

Caverject’s active ingredient is a type of medication that’s known as a prostaglandin. ED usually occurs when the blood supply that can reach the penis isn’t enough to maintain an erection. Prostaglandins like Caverject work by relaxing these blood vessels, opening them up to allow blood to reach the penis more easily.^[1] This should make it easier to get an erection when you’re aroused, and help you maintain it for longer.

How do Caverject doses work?

Caverject usually comes as a powder in 10 mcg or 20 mcg vials. You can then use the plunger to set the dosage to the amount you’ve been advised to take. Typically, you’ll start on a low dose of 1.25-2.5 mcg per injection, and move up doses as needed.

What is Caverject’s active ingredient?

Caverject is a branded medication that contains the active ingredient alprostadil, which is a type of prostaglandin. Prostaglandins work for ED by relaxing blood vessels, allowing blood to enter the penis more easily, so getting and maintaining an erection when you’re aroused is easier.

How to take Caverject

The first time you use Caverject injections, a healthcare professional will demonstrate the correct way to use them. You shouldn’t try to inject Caverject yourself without being shown how to first. Always follow your clinician’s instructions when using Caverject. You’ll need to prepare your dose first by mixing Caverject with a diluent (bacteriostatic water).

To prepare your dose of Caverject:

• Attach the needle to your injection device, turning it clockwise until it’s firmly on
• Remove the cap from the vial of Caverject and the cover from the diluent
• Wipe the rubber stoppers on the two vials with an alcohol swab
• Remove the protective cap from the needle (but don’t throw it away)
• Holding the syringe with the needle attached, push the needle through the center of the diluent vial’s rubber stopper (being careful not to bend the needle)
• With the needle in the vial, hold the vial with the syringe in upside down and keep the needle tip below the level of the liquid
• Pull back on the syringe plunger until all the diluent is removed from the vial
• Push the syringe plunger to the 1ml mark on the syringe to remove air and extra liquid from the syringe
• Holding the side of the syringe barrel, pull the diluent vial in a straight line away from the syringe to avoid bending the needle
• Push the needle in a straight line through the rubber stopper of the Caverject vial (being careful not to bend the needle)
• Push the plunger all the way down to move all of the liquid in the syringe into the Caverject vial
• Keeping the needle in the vial, gently swirl the vial until the powder is completely dissolved in the liquid
• Turn the vial and syringe upside down and gently swirl again to dissolve any powder in the neck of the vial
• Check to make sure the solution is clear, and don’t use it if it’s cloudy, colored, or contains any particles
• With the needle below the level of the solution in the vial, pull back on the plunger until all the liquid is removed from the vial
• If there are any air bubbles in the syringe, tap on the side of the syringe’s barrel until they float to the top of the liquid
• While holding the syringe upright, push the plunger to the mark for the volume of Caverject prescribed by your healthcare provider
• Holding the syringe by the barrel (not the plunger), pull it directly away from the vial of caverject in a straight line to avoid bending the needle
• Replace the needle cover over the needle you used to mix the liquid, and turn it anticlockwise to remove the old needle from the syringe, then dispose of it in a sharps container
• Unwrap and attach a new needle by twisting it clockwise onto the syringe

To inject your dose of Caverject:

• Sit in an upright or slightly reclined position
• Make sure the needle is not bent. If it is, detach it and replace it (don’t try and straighten it out)
• You’ll inject caverject into the side of the shaft, avoiding the top or bottom of the penis as there are more blood vessels there
• Wipe the injection site with an alcohol swab and let it try
• If your penis isn’t circumcised, pull the foreskin back
• Hold the tip of your penis with your thumb and forefinger and stretch it along your thigh
• Gently squeeze your penis between your thumb and finger to firm up the injection site
• Take the cover off the needle and position your penis firmly against your thigh to stop it from moving during the injection
• With a firm grip on your penis, hold the syringe in your other hand and push the needle into the side of the penis shaft at a 45 degree angle pointing downwards
• Holding the barrel between two fingers, move your thumb or finger to the plunger and push down in one steady motion to empty the contents of the syringe into your penis
• After completing the injection, carefully remove the syringe from your penis and press on the injection site with an alcohol swab for five minutes (or until the bleeding stops)

After injecting Caverject put any used Caverject syringes and needles in an FDA-approved sharps disposal container.