Can Nifedipine cause low blood pressure?

Question

Hello doctor,

My boyfriend is a 48-year-old male, 6 feet tall, and weighs 210 pounds. He has high blood pressure and takes medications (Nifedipine 90mg in the morning and Lisinopril 10mg before bed) to manage it. However, he occasionally experiences episodes of very low blood pressure. These episodes are accompanied by a racing heart, vomiting, diarrhea, and fainting. He also experiences mild confusion. He has been to the emergency room three out of the four times it has happened. EKG and lab work have all come back to normal. What could be the cause of this?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

These symptoms are likely a result of Nifedipine, which is causing low blood pressure and other related symptoms. I recommend reducing his Nifedipine dose to 60 mg once a day, as hypotension can be more dangerous than slightly elevated blood pressure. Additionally, Nifedipine is not commonly used nowadays due to its side effects. We should gradually taper it off and transition to Amlodipine if his blood pressure remains high. It is important for him to follow a low-sodium diet and regularly monitor his blood pressure three times a day until we have adjusted the dosage of his blood pressure medication. Our target blood pressure range is between 110 to 140 systolic.

Hope this helps you and get back if you have any doubts. Thank you.