Nifedipine

Nifedipine (brand names: Adalat, Adipine, Coracten, Fortipine, Nifedipress) is a calcium channel blocker medicine used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).[3]

Nifedipine
Clinical data
Trade namesAdalat, Procardia, others
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
MedlinePlusa684028
License data
Pregnancy
category
Routes of
administration		By mouth, topical
Drug classCalcium channel blocker (dihydropyridine)[2]
ATC code
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability45-56%
Protein binding92-98%
MetabolismGastrointestinal, Liver
Elimination half-life2 hours
ExcretionKidneys: >50%, bile duct: 5-15%
Identifiers
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ECHA InfoCard100.040.529
  (verify)

In people with high blood pressure, taking nifedipine helps to prevent future heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.[3] Nifedipine is also used to prevent chest pain caused by angina. Occasionally, it is used to treat Raynaud's phenomenon and chilblains.[3] Pregnancy category: US: C[4], AU: C[5], UK: 'manufacturer advises avoid before week 20, but risk to fetus should be balanced against risk'[6]

This medicine can cause serious allergic reactions that require emergency treatment. Make sure the signs of these reactions are known: read allergic reaction symptoms of drugs.

Most adults aged 18 and over can take nifedipine. Occasionally, it is prescribed for children.[3]

Taking nifedipine

Nifedipine is not suitable for some people. Check the leaflet provided with the medicine. It should be taken exactly how it is meant to be (see also: forms section). The doctor should know about:[3]

If a dose is missed, what the person should do next depends on the amount that they take. Their doctor should tell them what to do before this happens. If dosages are missed a lot, it might help to set an alarm to take the medicine, at the same time every day.[3]

Nifedipine is very sensitive to light, so it needs to be taken as soon as it comes out of the packet. It can be taken at any time of the day, but it should be taken at the same time every day[3] or as instructed.

Tablets should be swallowed with water, but it is not important if they are taken with food. Some brands of nifedipine need to be taken differently.[3]

If it is in liquid form, the bottle should be shaken before taking. The medicine will come with a plastic syringe or spoon to help take the right amount. If there is no plastic syringe or spoon, the pharmacist should have one. A kitchen teaspoon will not work as it will not measure the right amount.[3]

Forms

Nifedipine is only available on prescription.[3]

Nifedipine comes as standard liquid, drops to swallow, and tablets or capsules, or more commonly as slow-release tablets or capsules. These often have letters (XL, LA, SR, MR) or "Retard" after the brand name.[3]

Slow-release tablets and capsules release the medicine into the body gradually throughout the day. This usually means they do not need to be taken as often.[3]

Dosage and strength

For adults Nifedipine comes as:[3]

  • 5mg and 10mg standard capsules
  • 10mg, 20mg, 30mg, 40mg and 60mg slow-release tablets and capsules

The dose of nifedipine depends on why the medicine is being taken, and which kind has been prescribed.[3]


Side effects

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to nifedipine.[3] Call an ambulance. There are both common and rare side effects of the medication:[3]

Common side effects

There are things that can be done to help cope with common side effects. These common side effects of nifedipine happen in more than 1 in 100 people: [3]

Serious side effects after taking nifedipine

These are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people. Stop taking nifedipine and call an ambulance straight away if:[3]

  • the whites of the eyes turn yellow, or skin turns yellow (although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin). These can be signs of liver problems.

References
  1. "Nifedipine Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Warnings". Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  3. "About nifedipine". nhs.uk. 2022-02-25. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  4. "Nifedipine Use During Pregnancy". Drugs.com. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
  5. Prior, Felicity; O’Hara, Kate; Kennedy, Debra; Rossi, Simone; Hotham, Neil (2014-08-04). "Classifying drugs in pregnancy". Australian Prescriber. 37 (4). doi:10.18773/austprescr.2014.052.
  6. "BNF is only available in the UK". NICE. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
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