If it seems like there have been a lot of blood pressure medicine recalls, well, that’s because there have been. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been keeping track of blood pressure drugs recalled voluntarily, and so has Fortune.
Among the hypertension medication names consumers need to know are losartan, valsartan, amlopidine, irbesartan, and hydrochlorothiazide.
By now, the list has grown to more than half a dozen types of hypertension drugs under FDA recall. The cause for all of these blood pressure drug recalls is the same: contamination of one of either two organic chemicals, N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), both of which are classified as a probable human carcinogen. NDMA is an industrial processing byproduct. NDEA is used to make liquid rocket fuel, and it is also a byproduct of fish processing and pesticide manufacturing.
Since July, the FDA has urged consumers to consult their physicians before discontinuing use of the tablets they have on hand, even if their blood pressure meds are part of this ongoing, massive recall over concerns of the cancer-causing chemical found in various amounts in all of these drugs. But discontinuing use of hypertension medication can have serious implications and should only be done under the care of a medical professional. Here are the names of the blood pressure drugs under FDA recall and more about each callback.
Losartan
A single-lot recall is in effect for Sandoz Inc.’s losartan potassium hydrochlorothiazide 100 milligram/25 milligram tablets with the lot number JB8912. The pills were distributed after Oct. 8, 2018 and bear an expiration date 06/2020.
Valsartan, amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide
There have been numerous recalls for hypertension drugs that contain valsartan, an off-patent ingredient used in generic medications to treat high blood pressure.
Companies including Major Pharmaceuticals, Solco Healthcare, and Teva Pharmaceuticals have recalled numerous lots of medications that contain valsartan, and Teva has now recalled all non-expired valsartan-containing products it sells on the U.S. market, including amlodipine-valsartan and amlodipine-valsartan-hydrochlorothiazide combination tablets.
Mylan Pharmaceuticals has also expanded its initial recall of more than a dozen lots of over 100 lots of amlodipine-valsartan and valsartan-hydrochlorothiazide combination tablets now under voluntary recall. A full list of recalled Mylan products, updated as of Tuesday, Dec. 4, can be found here.
Irbesartan
Irbesartan doses of 75 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg were called by ScieGen Pharmaceuticals Inc. at the beginning of November. Irbesartan tablets are packed in 30- and 90-count bottles and labeled as Westminster Pharmaceuticals and Golden State Medical Supply, Inc.
