There have been multiple medication safety incidents at Henry Ford Health over the last few years involving nifedipine immediate-release tablets, including a recent harm event.1 In response, the Epic® build has been modified to allow a maximum of 30 mg per dose.
Pharmacists should exercise caution when verifying orders for nifedipine immediate-release tablets.
When used for acute treatment of hypertension, there have been reports over several decades of profound hypotension, myocardial infarction, and death.2, 3
Severely hypertensive pregnant or post-partum patients are the only hypertensive patient populations where nifedipine immediate-release tablets have been shown to be safe and effective.4
In patient populations where nifedipine extended-release tablets are not an option, consider other immediate-release calcium-channel blockers on the Henry Ford Health Formulary (isradipine, felodipine, and amlodipine).4
MEDICATION SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVING NIFEDIPINE IMMEDIATE-RELEASE
References:
Therapeutic Alternative:
ANTIHYPERTENSIVES: OTHER
Ordered
Drug
Therapeutic
Alternate
Nifedipine ER (Adalat CC)
Nifedipine XL (Procardia XL) same dose