FDA Alerts Against This Common Medication

Hypertension is an alarmingly frequent ailment in the United States. Plus, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about half of all individuals in the US have it and are taking medication to treat it.

This may include over the counter medicine for blood pressure or prescription water pills. Additionally, patients with diabetes might go for a metformin dosage 500 mg once a day or as prescribed.

Nevertheless, if you use blood pressure medicine, you should be aware of a recent safety recall by one pharmaceutical establishment.

1. Pfizer’s Medication Recall

If you were thinking of restocking some common Pfizer drugs, you might want to reconsider. Pfizer issued a voluntary recall on March 21 for six lots of Accuretic tablets. These included: 

• Four lots of quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide tablets 
• One lot of quinapril plus hydrochlorothiazide tablets

Also, they supplied the implicated items to all 50 states. Therefore, you should investigate more than just the hydrochlorothiazide dosage if you consume the drug.

2. The Justification for the Recall

After knowing that specific batches of the drug contained amounts of nitrosamine, N-nitroso-quinapril, Pfizer recalled them. Furthermore, this agent surpassed the FDA’s 26.5 ng/day nitrosamine Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) standard.

Pfizer’s recall notice mentioned that Nitrosamines exist in water, meats, and vegetables. Meaning everyone has exposure to nitrosamines in some form. 

However, if exposure to these pollutants is in amounts above the safety limit for longer timeframes, they may raise their risk of cancer.

3. Pfizer Isn’t the Only Recalling Company

Sandoz Inc. recalled 13 batches of Orphenadrine Citrate 100 mg Extended Release (ER) Tablets. They discovered a “nitrosamine impurity” during recent testing, prompting the recall.

They have also recalled heartburn drug ranitidine and metformin from the market in the past for the same reason.

Therefore, correspond with your pharmacist before taking your next metformin dosage 500 mg once a day.

4. What to Do With the Medication?

Users haven’t documented any adverse responses to the medications Pfizer has recalled. Nevertheless, it is best for patients to stay in touch with their specialists if they witness anything. This piece of advice also goes out to you if you are using a metformin dosage 500 mg once a day. 

Pfizer shared the following comments regarding their drug recall. First, the long-term intake of N-nitroso-quinapril links to elevated risk in humans.

Second, Pfizer said patients taking this medicine have no immediate danger. However, they should discuss alternative treatment options.