The Adalat i.e. Nifedipine belongs to a class of medications known as ‘Calcium Channel Blockers’ and these medications block the transport of calcium into the smooth muscle cells lining the coronary arteries and other arteries of the body. Since, calcium is important in muscle contraction, blocking calcium transport relaxes the artery muscles and dilates the coronary arteries and other arteries of the body. By relaxing coronary arteries, Nifedipine is useful in treating and preventing chest pain i.e. angina resulting from coronary artery spasm.

Chest pain i.e. angina occurs because of insufficient oxygen delivered to the heart muscles. Insufficient oxygen may be a result of coronary artery blockage or spasm or because of physical exertion which increases heart oxygen demand in a patient with coronary artery narrowing. Nifedipine is used for the treatment and prevention of angina resulting from coronary artery spasm as well as from exertion. Nifedipine is also used in the treatment of high blood pressure. It is also used to open the blood vessels which spasm causing Raynauds phenomenon.

Relaxing the muscles lining the arteries of the rest of the body lowers the blood pressure which reduces the burden on the heart as it pumps blood to the body. Reducing heart burden lessens the heart muscles demand for oxygen and further helps to prevent angina in patients with coronary artery disease.

However, before taking Nifedipine i.e. Adalat medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient and read it carefully. Talk to your doctor about all the possible risks of taking Adalat medication. However, Adalat may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. Hence, for more information, consult your doctor and your medical pharmacist.

Follow the directions given by the doctor exactly for the usage of the Adalat i.e. Nifedipine medication and also read the prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part that you do not understand.

Remember: Nifedipine is metabolized mainly by the liver and dosages may need to be lowered in patients with liver dysfunction. Moreover, the generic Nifedipine medication can be taken with or without food.

If you notice any of the symptoms, which seem severe or persistent to you, please contact your doctor immediately. However, your doctor may need to monitor you carefully for side effects and alter the doses if necessary.

Adalat is generally well-tolerated. The most common side effects are: Headache, dizziness, flushing and edema swelling of the lower extremities. Less common side effects include dizziness, nausea and constipation. However, side effects of Nifedipine are generally mild and reversible and the most side effects are expected consequences of the dilation of the arteries.

Inform your doctor if you experience any of these side effects or some new side effects occur which appear too bothersome to you.

Inform your doctor if you are allergic to the formulation of this medication or any other medication in any other form and also inform your doctor about any other medication you may be taking in any other form, as they may affect the way your medicine works.

Administration of Nifedipine with digoxin can increase digoxin blood levels. Therefore, blood levels of digoxin are usually monitored to avoid toxicity. Concurrent administration of cimetidine Tagamet interferes with the liver breakdown of Nifedipine and significantly increases Nifedipine blood levels.

Therefore, cautious dosing is necessary when both medications are administered. Generally Nifedipine is avoided in children.

However, in patients with severe obstructive coronary artery disease, Nifedipine can increase the frequency and severity of angina or actually cause a heart attack on rare occasions. This phenomenon usually occurs when first starting Nifedipine or at the time of dosage increase. Excessive lowering of blood pressure during initiation of Nifedipine treatment can occur especially in patients already taking another blood pressure lowering medication. In rare instances congestive heart failure has been associated with Nifedipine usually in patients already on a beta blocker.

Moreover, Adalat i.e. Nifedipine may also interact with some kind of foods, varied medications, herbal products, nutritional supplements, vitamins, other OTC medicines, some vaccinations etc. Acquire more information about the interactions of the Adalat medication from your doctor and the medical pharmacists.

In case of overdose call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
If the suffering patient has collapsed or is not breathing call local emergency services at 911. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

Do not allow any other person to use your medication without getting doctor’s prescription themselves and also avoid using this medicine for other health conditions on your own. Keep the medicine away from the children and pets.
Also inform your doctor, if you are pregnant or are breast feeding. If you conceive during the course, inform your doctor immediately. Do not share your medicines with anyone, even if they have the same symptoms, for it may harm them. Do not begin, increase, decrease, or stop using this medicine on your own. In short discuss your complete medical history with your doctor, before taking the medicine.

Remember, it is very important to keep regular appointments with your doctor to study the way your body is responding to the course. And if you are going to have a surgery, tell your health care professional that you are using Adalat medication.

Carry with you at all times an ID card mentioning your name, the medicine you are taking, the dosage, the name of the person and your health care professional they should call in case of an emergency. Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory and keep regular checks ups.

Also avoid alcohol and alcohol containing beverages whilst on a course with this medication. And in case, if you wish to use the medicine in children, please contact your pediatrician for sure before its use.

Your blood pressure should be checked regularly to determine your response to Nifedipine and keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.

Good dental hygiene decreases the chance and severity of gum swelling. Brush your teeth regularly and schedule dental cleanings every 6 months.

The extended-release tablet does not dissolve in the stomach after being swallowed. It slowly releases medicine as it passes through your small intestines. It is not unusual to see the tablet shell in the stool.

If you missed the Adalat i.e. Nifedipine medication dose, do take the medicine immediately provided that there is ample of time in between the next dose. However, if it is almost time for the next dose skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Never double your doses to cope up with the missed. And in case, if you miss your one or two consecutive doses consult to your doctor or physician for guidance and continue further.

Generic Adalat is used in the treatment of angina.

However, it may also be used to treat some other medical conditions which may be determined by your doctor accordingly and consult a pediatrician for the use of this medication in children.

The generic Adalat i.e. Nifedipine medication may be prescribed for other uses also and hence ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about the Adalat i.e. Nifedipine medication.

Store generic Adalat i.e. Nifedipine, at room temperature, in a cool and dry place. Keep the medicine in the container, it came in and always keep it tightly closed. Check Expiry date without fail. Keep all medicines away from women, newborns, children and pets. Do not freeze in any case. Also, keep it away from heat, dampness and direct light. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down. When the medicine is not in use or outdated it should be discarded. Take help of your pharmacist in disposing this medicine properly. In any case, do not store the Adalat medication in the bathroom.

Following precautions must be taken during consuming generic Adalat i.e. Nifedipine:

1. Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had: kidney disease, lung disease, liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, low or high blood pressure, asthma, heart attack, seizures, strokes, irregular heartbeats, other cardiac disease,
recent weight loss, serious injury/infection or any other severe disease etc. Also inform, if you drink alcoholic beverages or are a tobacco smoker etc.

2. Also acknowledge your doctor if you need to undergo any kind of surgery, including dental surgery or need an x-ray procedure that uses contrast agents. So, inform your doctors immediately about it, so that the doctor can decide whether to continue taking Adalat medication or stop it during the surgery.

3. Let the doctor also know, if you are in-taking or are planning to take any prescribed or non prescribed medicines, health supplements or any other OTC medications, vitamins etc. especially cimetidine Tagamet fentanyl Duragesic heart and blood pressure medications like beta-blockers, digoxin Lanoxin, warfarin Coumadin, and quinidine Quinaglute, Quinidex, phenytoin Dilantin, ranitidine Zantac etc.

4. Do not use the Adalat i.e. Nifedipine medication, if you have any kind of allergy to it or to any ingredients of it and tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and get treated accordingly.

5. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding before taking Adalat medication. Hence also, inform your doctor immediately when you plan to conceive, or become pregnant during the course.

6. Do not share the drug with others unless they are prescribed by the doctor themselves. And if your symptoms of side effects do not improve in few weeks or if they become worse and bothersome, check these conditions immediately with your doctor.

7. Please, use the Adalat medicine in the prescribed amount and do not overdose it or use it for the longer period of time. Do not discontinue on your own and consult your doctor before doing so to avoid further problems.

8. Regularly, keep your appointments with your doctor and keep an eye on the progress or side effects that has been noticed during the complete course.

9. Also, avoid smoking and consuming alcohol and alcohol containing beverages during the complete course to achieve good results.

10. For more information, contact your doctor and your pharmacists and also discuss the risks and benefits of the generic Adalat.

11. Remember: It is important that your doctor check your progress at regular intervals.