What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking Nicardipine:
Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, liver disease, another disease of the heart or blood vessels such as sick sinus syndrome, aortic stenosis, heart failure, low blood pressure, or coronary artery disease. You may not be able to take nicardipine, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
Moreover, please inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs: another heart medication to treat the same or another condition, cimetidine (Tagamet®, Tagamet HB®), or cyclosporine (Sandimmune®, Neoral®). You may not be able to take nicardipine, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with nicardipine or affect your condition. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including herbal products.
Nicardipine is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether this medicine will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
Furthermore, nicardipine passes into breast milk and may affect a nursing infant. Do not take this medicine without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
If you are over 65 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from nicardipine. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of this medication.
Please note that grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with nicardipine. The interaction could have potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit and grapefruit juice with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
Follow any recommendations your doctor makes about diet or exercise.
Use this medication with care when you stand or sit up from a lying position, especially if you wake up during the night. You may become dizzy when changing positions.
Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may further lower blood pressure and increase drowsiness or dizziness while taking this medicine.
Why is this medication prescribed?
Dosage and using this medicine
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?