Adalat™ (Nifedipine) | Adalat OROS (Nifedipine) 60mg Tablets

How does Adalat OROS (Nifedipine) work?

Adalat tablet contain the active ingredient nifedipine, which is a type of medicine called a calcium channel blocker. This type of medicine acts on the heart and blood vessels. (NB. Nifedipine is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.)

Nifedipine works by slowing the movement of calcium through the muscle cells that are found in the walls of blood vessels. It does this by blocking 'calcium channels' in these muscle cells. Calcium is needed by muscle cells in order for them to contract, so by depriving them of calcium, nifedipine causes the muscle cells to relax.

Nifedipine acts specifically on the muscle cells in the walls of arteries, causing them to relax. This allows the arteries in the body to widen, an effect that has two main uses.

The relaxing and widening of the small arteries in the body decreases the resistance that the heart has to push against in order to pump the blood around the body. This reduces the pressure within the blood vessels. Nifedipine can therefore be used to lower high blood pressure.

The widening effect on the small arteries and the arteries in the heart also improves the blood and therefore oxygen supply to the heart. This feature means nifedipine can be used in the management of angina. The chest pain of angina is caused by insufficient oxygen supply to the heart. As nifedipine improves this oxygen supply, and also reduces the effort the heart has to make to pump blood, can be used to prevent angina attacks.

Nifedipine is also used to treat a circulatory disorder called Raynaud's phenomenon. In this condition the blood vessels in the hands go into spasm and contract excessively when the hands are cold. This causes the hands to go white, numb and painful. Nifedipine relaxes the peripheral arteries in the hands, causing them to widen and the blood circulation to the fingers to improve.

Nifedipine may be given in a form that has an effect as soon as the medicine is taken and then tapers off (described as immediate-release or short-acting), or in a form that releases the medicine slowly over the day (which may be described as controlled/slow/prolonged/extended/modified/sustained-release or long-acting). Adalat capsules are a short-acting form of nifedipine.

Short-acting forms of nifedipine such as Adalat capsules are usually only used to relieve the symptoms of Raynaud's. They may also be given in single doses to control high blood pressure, but are not recommended for the long-term treatment of high blood pressure or angina. This is because short-acting nifedipine can cause large variations in blood pressure and a reflex increase in heart rate. Long-acting forms of nifedipine are preferred for these conditions, because the steady release of the medicine doesn't cause this problem.

Adalat OROS (Nifedipine) Use

• Condition called Raynaud's phenomenon, in which the blood vessels in the hands go into spasm when the hands are cold, causing white, numb and painful hands and fingersv
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Prevention of angina attacks

Adalat OROS (Nifedipine) Side Effects

• Headache
• Flushing
• Dizziness
• Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, indigestion or abdominal pain
• Swollen ankles caused by fluid retention (peripheral oedema)
• Tiredness
• Awareness of your heart beat (heart palpitations)
• Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
• Shaking, usually of the hands (tremor)
• Skin reactions such as rash, sweating or itching
• Visual disturbances
• Increased need to pass urine
• Impotence
• Depression
• Pain in the muscles (myalgia)
• Pins and needles sensations (paraesthesia)
• Abnormal enlargement of breasts in men (gynaecomastia)
• Enlargement of the gums (gingival hyperplasia)