Product Details

What do you need to know before you take Cardovasc Retard 20mg

Do not take Cardovasc Retard 20mg:
• if you have had a heart attack within the last month.
• if you get a sudden angina attack. Cardovasc Retard 20mg will not help relieve symptoms of angina quickly.
• if you have unstable angina.
• if you are allergic to nifedipine, to any other similar medicines (known as
dihydropyridines) or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section
• if you are taking rifampicin, an antibiotic,
• if you have a liver disease that prevents your liver from working properly.
• if you have inflammation of the bowel or intestines, such as Crohn’s disease.
• if you have an obstruction or narrowing in your intestines, or have had this in the past.
• if you have ever had an obstruction in the gullet (the oesophagus – the tube
connecting the throat to the stomach).
• If you have been told that you have a narrowing of the aortic heart
valve (stenosis).
• If you have ever had a collapse caused by a heart problem (cardiogenic shock),
during which you became breathless, pale and had a cold sweat and dry mouth.
• If you have a “Kock pouch” (a surgically constructed intestinal reservoir with an
opening through the abdominal wall) in your gut.
• if your blood pressure continues to rise despite treatment (malignant hypertension).
Tell your doctor and do not take Nidef if any of these apply to you.
Warnings and precuations
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Cardovasc Retard 20mg
• If you have low blood pressure and you were prescribed Cardovasc Retard 20mg for your angina.
Your blood pressure may be decreased further by this treatment.
• If you have a heart condition where your heart cannot cope with increased
strain (poor cardiac reserve).
• If you are pregnant.
• If you are breast-feeding. If you need to take Cardovasc Retard 20mg, you should stop breast-feeding
before you start to take this medicine.
• If you are a diabetic. The treatment for your diabetes may need to be adjusted. If you
have any questions about this, ask your doctor.
• If you are on kidney dialysis. If you have a very high blood pressure and a low blood
volume, you might experience a sudden drop in blood pressure when you take Nidef.
• If your liver is not working properly. Your doctor may need to do some blood tests.
You may also be given a lower dose of Cardovasc Retard 20mg
Talk to your doctor before you take Cardovasc Retard 20mg  if any of these apply to you.
Tell your doctor:
• if your chest pain (angina) gets worse (comes on more often or more severely) over a
matter of hours or days. You may be advised not to take Cardovasc Retard 20mg
• if you have chest pain after taking your first dose of  Cardovasc Retard 20mg. Your doctor may wish to change your treatment
• if you notice increased breathlessness if you notice swelling of the ankles
Tell your doctor before you take the next dose if any of these apply to you.
Also tell your doctor:
• if you are giving a urine sample. Cardovasc Retard 20mg may interfere with the results of certain urine tests,
• if you are to have a barium contrast x-ray (barium meal). These tablets may affect
the results of the test,
• if you are a man who has been unable to father a child by in vitro fertilisation. Drugs
like Cardovasc Retard 20mg have been shown to impair sperm function.
Other medicines and Cardovasc Retard 20mg
Tell your doctor if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
Some medicines may affect the way Cardovasc Retard 20mg work. Tell your doctor if you are taking:
• Other medicines to treat high blood pressure,
• Rifampicin (an antibiotic),
• Cimetidine (to treat stomach ulcers),
• Digoxin, diltiazem, quinidine or Beta-blockers (to treat heart conditions),
• Quinupristin/dalfopristin (a combination antibiotic),
• Phenytoin, carbamazepine or valproic acid (to treat epilepsy),
• Cisapride (to treat reduced movements of the gullet and stomach),
• Magnesium sulphate injections during pregnancy (may cause a severe fall in blood
pressure),
• Erythromycin (an antibiotic),
• Ketoconazole, itraconazole or fluconazole (anti-fungal medicines),
• Indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir or amprenavir (to treat HIV),
• Fluoxetine or nefazodone (to treat depression),
• Tacrolimus (to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs).
• Phenobarbital (usually used to treat insomnia or anxiety).
Nidef Tablets with food and drink
You can take Nidef Tablets with or without food.
Do not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit while taking Nidef Tablets.
Do not start taking Nidef Tablets within 3 days of drinking grapefruit juice or eating grapefruit.
Tell your doctor if you have had grapefruit or grapefruit juice in this time. Also, do not drink
grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit whilst taking Cardovasc Retard 20mg. Grapefruit juice is known to increase the blood levels of the active ingredient, nifedipine. This effect can last for at least 3 days.
Information on sodium content
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially
‘sodium-free’.
Pregnancy and Breast-feeding
Pregnancy
If you are pregnant,. think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your
doctor for advice before taking this medicine . You may be able to use Nidef but only after
special consideration and agreement by your doctor.
Breast-feeding
Do not take Nidef Tablets if you are breast-feeding. If you need to take Nidef, you should
stop breast-feeding before you start taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Nidef Tablets may make you feel dizzy, faint, extremely tired or have visual disturbances. Do
not drive or operate machinery if you are affected in this way. This may be more likely when
you first start treatment, if you change tablets, or if you have drunk alcohol.