Nifedipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker sold in the U.S. under 3 brand and generic names, for variant angina pectoris, hypertension and stable angina. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
From the FDA label for Procardia (application NDA018482). Other nifedipine products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
The dosage of nifedipine needed to suppress angina and that can be tolerated by the patient must be established by titration. Excessive doses can result in hypotension. Therapy should be initiated with the 10 mg capsule. The starting dose is one 10 mg capsule, swallowed whole, 3 times/day. The usual effective dose range is 10 to 20 mg three times daily. Some patients, especially those with evidence of coronary artery spasm, respond only to higher doses, more frequent administration, or both. In such patients, doses of 20 to 30 mg three or four times daily may be effective. Doses above 120 mg daily are rarely necessary. More than 180 mg per day is not recommended. In most cases, nifedipine titration should proceed over a 7 to 14 day period so that the physician can assess the response to each dose level and monitor the blood pressure before proceeding to higher doses. If symptoms so warrant, titration may proceed more rapidly provided that the patient is assessed frequently. Based on the patient's physical activity level, attack frequency, and sublingual nitroglycerin consumption, the dose of nifedipine may be increased from 10 mg t.i.d. to 20 mg t.i.d. and then to 30 mg t.i.d. over a three-day period. In hospitalized patients under close observation, the dose may be increased in 10 mg increments over four- to six-hour periods as required to control pain and arrhythmias due to…
In multiple-dose United States and foreign controlled studies in which adverse reactions were reported spontaneously, adverse effects were frequent but generally not serious and rarely required discontinuation of therapy or dosage adjustment. Most were expected consequences of the vasodilator effects of nifedipine. Adverse Effect Nifedipine (%) (N=226) Placebo (%) (N=235) Dizziness, lightheadedness, giddiness 27 15 Flushing, heat sensation 25 8 Headache 23 20 Weakness 12 10 Nausea, heartburn 11 8 Muscle cramps, tremor 8 3 Peripheral edema 7 1 Nervousness, mood changes 7 4 Palpitation 7 5 Dyspnea, cough, wheezing 6 3 Nasal congestion, sore throat 6 8 There is also a large uncontrolled experience in over 2,100 patients in the United States. Most of the patients had vasospastic or resistant angina pectoris, and about half had concomitant treatment with beta-adrenergic blocking agents. The most common adverse events were: Incidence Approximately 10% Cardiovascular: peripheral edema Central Nervous System: dizziness or lightheadedness Gastrointestinal: nausea Systemic: headache and flushing, weakness Incidence Approximately 5% Cardiovascular: transient hypotension Incidence 2% or Less Cardiovascular: palpitation Respiratory: nasal and chest congestion, shortness of breath Gastrointestinal: diarrhea, constipation, cramps, flatulence Musculoskeletal: inflammation, joint stiffness,…
Grapefruit & grapefruit juice
Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice with this medicine unless your pharmacist or the label says it's fine — check, because not every drug in a class is affected the same way.
Grapefruit Juice and Some Drugs Don't Mix — U.S. FDA ↗Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Typical price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 56/100 | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $5 | View → | |
| 2 | 56/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Generic |
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
| Imprint | Strength | Colour | Shape | Maker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 60 mg | brown | round | — |
| B;60 | 60 mg | brown | round | — |
| 30 | 30 mg | yellow | round | — |
| 60 | 60 mg | brown | round | — |
| 90 | 90 mg | brown | round | — |
| 30 | 30 mg | yellow |
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Known hypersensitivity reaction to nifedipine.
Beta-adrenergic blocking agents: (See INDICATIONS AND USAGE and WARNINGS . ) Experience in over 1,400 patients in a non-comparative clinical trial has shown that concomitant administration of nifedipine and beta-blocking agents is usually well tolerated, but there have been occasional literature reports suggesting that the combination may increase the likelihood of congestive heart failure, severe hypotension, or exacerbation of angina. Long-acting nitrates: Nifedipine may be safely co-administered with nitrates, but there have been no controlled studies to evaluate the antianginal effectiveness of this combination. Digitalis: Since there have been isolated reports of patients with elevated digoxin levels, and since there is a possible interaction between digoxin and nifedipine, it is recommended that digoxin levels be monitored when initiating, adjusting, and discontinuing nifedipine to avoid possible over- or under-digitalization. Quinidine: There have been rare reports of an interaction between quinidine and nifedipine (with a decreased plasma level of quinidine). Coumarin anticoagulants: There have been rare reports of increased prothrombin time in patients taking coumarin anticoagulants to whom nifedipine was administered. However, the relationship to nifedipine therapy is uncertain. Cimetidine: A study in six healthy volunteers has shown a significant…
| $5 |
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| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $5 | View → |
| round |
| — |
| HP194 | 10 mg | white | capsule | — |
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