Nifedipine

Also indexed as: Adalat LA®, Adalat Retard®, Adalat®, Adipine® MR, Angiopine LA®, Angiopine MR®, Angiopine®, Apo-Nifed®, Calanif®, Cardilate MR®, Coracten SR®, Coracten XL®, Coracten®, Coroday MR®, Fortipine LA 40®, Gen-Nifedipine®, Hypolar® Retard 20, Nifedipress® MR, Nifedotard 20 MR®, Nifelease®, Nifopress Retard®, Nimodrel MR®, Nivaten® Retard, Novo-Nifedin®, Nu-Nifedipine-PA®, Nu-Nifed®, PMS-Nifedipine®, Procardia®, Slofedipine XL®, Tensipine MR®, Unipine XL®

Combination drugs: Beta-Adalat®, Tenif®

Nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker used to treat angina pectoris and high blood pressure.

Summary of Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
In some cases, an herb or supplement may appear in more than one category, which may seem contradictory. For clarification, read the full article for details about the summarized interactions.

Avoid Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results.

Pleurisy root*

Tobacco*
Check Check: Other—Before taking any of these supplements or eating any of these foods with your medication, read this article in full for details.

Grapefruit juice
Depletion or interference

None known
Side effect reduction/prevention

None known
Supportive interaction

None known
Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability

None known

An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

Interactions with Herbs

Pleurisy root
As pleurisy root and other plants in the Aesclepius genus contain cardiac glycosides, it is best to avoid use of pleurisy root with heart medications such as calcium channel blockers.1

Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds

Grapefruit juice
Ingestion of grapefruit juice has been shown to increase the absorption of felodipine (a drug similar in structure and action to that of nifedipine) and to increase the adverse effects of the medication in patients with hypertension. People taking nifedipine or similar drugs should not consume grapefruit juice or grapefruit, unless they have discussed it with their physician.2

Food
Nifedipine may be taken with or without food.3 Nifedipine products should be swallowed whole, without crushing or chewing.4

Tobacco
In a double-blind study of ten cigarette smokers with angina treated with nifedipine for one week, angina episodes were significantly reduced during the nonsmoking phase compared to the smoking phase.5 People with angina taking nifedipine should not smoke tobacco.

References

1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 1996, 213–4.

2. Bailey DG, Malcolm J, Arnold O, Spence JD. Grapefuit Juice-Drug Interactions. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1998;46:101–110.

3. Reitberg DP, Love SJ, Quercia GT, Zinny MA. Effect of food on nifedipine pharmacokinetics. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1987;42:72–5.

4. Threlkeld DS, ed. Diuretics and Cardiovasculars, Calcium Channel Blocking Agents. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, Mar 1996, 149m–9n.

5. Deanfield J, Wright C, Krikler S, et al. Cigarette smoking and the treatment of angina with propranolol, atenolol, and nifedipine. N Engl J Med 1984;310:951–4.