Procardia XL

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Generic Name: nifedipine (nye FED i peen)
Brand Names: Procardia

What is Procardia XL (nifedipine)?

Nifedipine is in a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by relaxing the muscles of your heart and blood vessels.

Nifedipine is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina (chest pain).

Nifedipine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about Procardia XL (nifedipine)? You should not use nifedipine if you are allergic to it.

Before taking nifedipine, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease, a blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines), a history of stomach surgery, coronary artery disease, underactive thyroid, diabetes, or congestive heart failure.

If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using nifedipine. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Many drugs can interact with nifedipine. Tell your doctor about all other medications you use.

Do not stop taking nifedipine without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel fine. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life. What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Procardia XL (nifedipine)? You should not use nifedipine if you are allergic to it.

To make sure you can safely take nifedipine, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

kidney disease;

liver disease (especially cirrhosis);

diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic constipation;

gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or slow digestion;

a blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines);

a colostomy or history of stomach surgery such as gastric bypass;

colon cancer;

underactive thyroid;

diabetes;

coronary artery disease; or

congestive heart failure.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether nifedipine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.. Nifedipine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

The nifedipine extended-release tablet may contain lactose. Talk to your doctor before using this form of nifedipine if you have galactose intolerance, or severe problems with lactose (milk sugar).

How should I take Procardia XL (nifedipine)?

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.

Take the Adalat CC tablet on an empty stomach. Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow it whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

Some tablet forms of nifedipine are made with a shell that is not absorbed or melted in the body. Part of the tablet shell may appear in your stool. This is a normal side effect of nifedipine and will not make the medication less effective.

Call your doctor if you have ongoing vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than usual. These conditions can lead to severely low blood pressure. If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using nifedipine. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time. Do not stop taking nifedipine without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel fine. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

If you are also taking a beta-blocker (such as Betapace, Coreg, Corgard, Dutoprol, Inderal, InnoPran, Lopressor, Normodyne, Tenormin, Tenoretic, Toprol, Trandate, and others), do not suddenly stop using the beta blocker without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely. Stopping a beta blocker too quickly can cause serious heart problems that will not be prevented by nifedipine.

Your blood pressure will need to be checked often and you may need other blood tests at your doctor's office. Visit your doctor regularly.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose? Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include severe dizziness, pounding heartbeats, nausea, vomiting, and feeling like you might pass out.

What should I avoid while taking Procardia XL (nifedipine)?

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with nifedipine and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall. Drinking alcohol can lower your blood pressure further and may increase certain side effects of nifedipine. Procardia XL (nifedipine) side effects Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

worsening angina;

severe constipation and cramps, severe stomach pain or heartburn, coughing up blood;

feeling like you might pass out;

feeling short of breath, swelling in your hands or feet;

fast or pounding heartbeats;

numbness or tingly feeling;

jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling.

Less serious side effects may include:

headache, dizziness;

drowsiness, tired feeling;

nausea, diarrhea mild constipation or stomach pain;

sleep problems (insomnia);

mild rash or itching;

joint pain, leg cramps;

warmth, redness, or tingly feeling under your skin; or

urinating more than usual.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Procardia XL (nifedipine)?

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

cimetidine (Tagamet);

conivaptan (Vaprisol);

digoxin (Lanoxin);

fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora) or other narcotic pain medications;

imatinib (Gleevec);

isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis);

laxatives;

levothyroxine (Synthroid and others);

nefazodone;

St. John's wort;

tizanidine (Zanaflex);

a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);

cold or allergy medicine;

an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediazole), or telithromycin (Ketek);

antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), miconazole (Oravig), or voriconazole (Vfend);

a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others;

heart or blood pressure medication such as nicardipine (Cardene) or quinidine (Quin-G);

HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), saquinavir (Invirase), or ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra); or

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Treximet), celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Arthrotec, Cambia, Cataflam, Voltaren, Flector Patch, Pennsaid, Solareze), indomethacin (Indocin), meloxicam (Mobic), and others.

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with nifedipine. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

More Procardia XL resources Procardia XL Side Effects (in more detail) Procardia XL Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Drug Images Procardia XL Drug Interactions Procardia XL Support Group 2 Reviews for Procardia XL - Add your own review/rating Procardia XL Sustained-Release Tablets MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer) Procardia XL Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information Procardia XL Prescribing Information (FDA) Adalat Consumer Overview Adalat CC Prescribing Information (FDA) Afeditab CR Prescribing Information (FDA) Nifediac CC Prescribing Information (FDA) Nifedical XL Prescribing Information (FDA) Nifedipine Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer) Nifedipine Monograph (AHFS DI) Nifedipine MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer) Procardia Prescribing Information (FDA) Compare Procardia XL with other medications High Blood Pressure Where can I get more information? Your pharmacist can provide more information about nifedipine.

See also: Procardia XL side effects (in more detail)

Procardia XL

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