Procardia

What Procardia is and what it is used for

Adalat capsules contain nifedipine, which belongs to a group of medicines called calcium antagonists. Adalat capsules are used to treat high blood pressure, angina (chest pain) or a condition called Raynaud’s phenomenon which causes discolouration (often whitening) of the fingers and toes. V024_0 For high blood pressure: Adalat capsules work by relaxing and expanding the blood vessels. This makes the blood flow more easily and lowers blood pressure. Lower blood pressure reduces the strain on your heart. For angina: Adalat capsules work by relaxing and expanding the arteries supplying the heart. This allows more blood and oxygen to reach the heart and decreases the strain on it. Your angina attacks will be less severe and less frequent if there is less strain on the heart. Adalat capsules can increase the risk of serious heart problems in patients with high blood pressure or angina. Because of this, Adalat capsules are only used in these patients if no other treatments are appropriate. For Raynaud’s phenomenon: Adalat capsules work by relaxing and expanding the blood vessels in the fingers and toes. This helps ensure a good blood supply

How to take Procardia

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor if you are not sure.
• To start with, you may be given a lower strength (5 mg) capsule every 8 hours. This allows your doctor to monitor how you are responding so that the best long-term dose can be identified.
• The dose can be increased to a maximum of 20 mg every 8 hours.
• Lower doses may be prescribed for older patients or for patients who have liver problems.
• Swallow the capsules whole with a little water.
• Continue to take the capsules for as long as your doctor has told you to. Do not take them with grapefruit juice. You can take Adalat capsules either with or without food. Use in children and adolescents: Adalat capsules are not recommended for use in children and adolescents below 18 years of age, because there are only limited data on the safety and efficacy in this population. V024_0 If you take more Adalat capsules than you should  Get medical help immediately. If possible, take your capsules or the box with you to show the doctor. Taking too many capsules may cause your blood pressure to become too low and your heartbeats to speed up or slow down. It may also lead to an increase in your blood sugar level or an increase in the acidity of your blood, swelling in the lungs, low blood oxygen levels and disturbances in consciousness, possibly leading to unconsciousness. If you forget to take Adalat capsules Take your normal dose immediately and continue taking your capsules as prescribed, waiting 8 hours before taking your next dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor.

Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Serious side effects: If you notice:
• severe, sudden generalised allergic reaction including very rarely life-threatening shock (e.g. difficulty in breathing, drop of blood pressure, fast pulse) or swelling (including potentially life-threatening swelling of the airway)
• other allergic reactions causing swelling under the skin (possibly severe and including swelling of the larynx that may result in a life-threatening outcome)
• fast heart beat (tachycardia)
• shortness of breath (frequency not know) or difficulty breathing
• mild to moderate allergic reactions
• itching (possibly severe), a rash or hives  Contact your doctor immediately and do not take the next dose as these may be the first signs of allergic reaction which may become severe. If you develop:
• a skin reaction or blistering / peeling of the skin and/or mucosal reactions (in the mouth/nose or at the penis/vagina) (Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis)  Contact your doctor immediately before you continue treatment as these may be signs of a severe reaction. V024_0 Less serious side effects: Apart from the side effects listed above, these are the other side effects of Adalat capsules, starting with the more common ones:

Common side effects (These may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
• headache
• flushing
• general feeling of being unwell
• constipation
• swelling, particularly of the ankles and legs

Uncommon side effects (These may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
• stomach pain (abdominal pain)
• unspecific pain
• chills
• low blood pressure when standing up (symptoms include fainting, dizziness, light headedness, occasional palpitations, blurred vision and sometimes confusion)
• fainting
• irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
• dry mouth
• indigestion or upset stomach
• wind (flatulence)
• feeling sick (nausea)
• muscle cramps
• joint swelling
• sleep disorders
• anxiety or nervousness
• reddening of the skin
• nose bleeds
• nasal congestion
• sensation of spinning or whirling motion (vertigo)
• migraine
• dizziness
• trembling
• increase in the need to pass water (urinate)
• painful or difficult urination
• inability to achieve or maintain an erection (impotence)
• blurred vision
• temporary increase in certain liver enzymes

Rare side effects (These may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
• pins and needles
• inflammation of the gums, tender or swollen gums, bleeding gums V024_0

Other side effects (Frequency not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
• vomiting.
• a reduction in the number of white blood cells (leucopenia)
• a more severe decrease in a specific class of white blood cell (agranulocytosis)
• increased blood sugar (hyperglycaemia)
• decreased skin sensitivity (hypoaesthesia)
• drowsiness (somnolence)
• eye pain
• chest pain (angina pectoris)
• heartburn or indigestion (gastroesophageal sphincter insufficiency)
• yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin (jaundice)
• sensitivity to light (photosensitivity allergic reaction)
• small, raised areas of bleeding in the skin (palpable purpura)
• joint pain
• muscle pain All of these symptoms usually go away when treatment with Adalat capsules is stopped.

Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly (see details below). By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine. United Kingdom Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard Malta ADR Reporting Website: www.medicinesauthority.gov.mt/adrportal

How to Store Procardia

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Store your medicine in its original container. Protect from strong light and only remove the capsule from the blister strip when you are about to take it. Do not store above 30ºC. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on both the outer carton and on each blister strip of capsules after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.