Patient leaflet - Nicardipine Hydrochloride 30 mg capsules

1. What Nicardipine is and what it is used for

Nicardipine belongs to a group of medicines called calcium channel blockers. It works by reducing the heart rate and increasing coronary blood flow in the heart.

Nicardipine is used:

To prevent attacks of chest pain (angina), diagnosed by your doctor as chronic stable angina
To treat mild to moderate high blood pressure (hypertension)

2. What you need to know before you take Nicardipine

Do not take Nicardipine if:

You are allergic to Nicardipine, other dihydropyridines or any of the other ingredients (listed in section 6)
You are pregnant or breast-feeding
You have a narrowing of the heart artery (severe aortic stenosis)
You are suffering from unstable angina i.e. unpredictable, often occurring at rest, or sudden, short-lived attacks of chest pain (acute angina)
You have suffered from a heart attack within one month
You want to prevent a heart attack from re-occurring
You suffer from porphyria, an inherited blood disorder that can cause increased sensitivity to light

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor before taking Nicardipine if:

You have problems with your kidneys or liver
You have heart problems, such as:
o ischemic heart disease
o severe tiredness, shortness of breath, ankle/leg swelling
or persistent cough often with mucus or blood (congestive heart failure)
o breathless even with the slightest exercise (poor heart
reserve)
You have suffered from a stroke
You are due to have laboratory tests as there is a possibility that Nicardipine may affect the results
You are changing from beta-blockers (other medicines for high blood pressure and angina e.g. atenolol) to Nicardipine as the dose of your beta-blocker should be reduced gradually, preferably over 8 - 10 days
You are being prescribed Nicardipine as the only medicine to treat your illness, as this may result in very low blood pressure
This medicine may cause low oxygen levels or breathing difficulties when given by injection into a vein, especially in patients with lung problems or other conditions affecting breathing. Your doctor will check your oxygen levels during treatment.
Other medicines and Nicardipine
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This includes herbal medicines.
Medicines which may influence the effect of, or be influenced by Nicardipine:
- Especially tell your doctor if you are using other medicines used to control the body’s immune system such as cyclosporine, tacrolimus or sirolimus
- Digoxin (used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms)
- Cimetidine (used to treat and prevent ulcers and reduce stomach acidity)
- Beta-blockers and other medicines used for high blood pressure and other heart problems (such as atenolol) and diuretics (water tablets such as bumetanide, indapamide)
- Rifampicin (used to treat bacterial infections)
- Carbamazepine (used to control seizures and epilepsy)

Having an anaesthetic

If you require surgery you must tell your doctor or the appropriate medical staff that you are taking Nicardipine because of the possibility of an interaction with the anaesthetic Fentanyl.

Taking Nicardipine with food and drink

Do not drink grapefruit juice whilst being treated with Nicardipine.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.

Pregnancy

Do not take Nicardipine if you are pregnant.

Breast-feeding

If you are breast-feeding, do not take Nicardipine as it is passed into breast milk.

Driving and using machines

Nicardipine may affect your ability to drive and operate machinery by causing dizziness. If you experience these effects, do not drive or operate machinery and consult your doctor.

Nicardipine contains sodium

This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per capsule that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.

Nicardipine 30 mg Capsules contains sunset yellow (E110)

It may cause allergic reactions.

3. How to take Nicardipine

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Nicardipine should be taken orally
The capsules should be swallowed whole with water
Do not drink grapefruit juice whilst being treated with Nicardipine

Adults:

The usual starting dose is 20 mg every 8 hours
The usual effective dose is 30 mg every 8 hours (a total daily dose of 60 mg - 120 mg)

Elderly:

The usual starting dose is 20 mg three times a day.

Use in children:

Nicardipine is not recommended for children under the age of 18 years.

Till-Ver.11 PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE PATIENT Nicardipine hydrochloride

20 mg & 30 mg

Capsules

As stated in design Package leaflet

Till-Ver.11

TW259603 (safety)

All

TBA

9 points (Reg text)

TW163719 / Till-Ver.10 06/05/2026

Black C

If you have taken more Nicardipine than you should:

If you accidentally take too many capsules, contact your doctor or nearest hospital emergency department immediately for advice. Remember to take this leaflet or any remaining capsules with you.

Symptoms of an overdose may include: low blood pressure (hypotension), slower heartbeat (bradycardia), feeling your heartbeat (palpitations), redness of the skin (flushing), drowsiness, confusion or slurred speech.

If you forget to take your Nicardipine:

Take it as soon as you remember, unless it is nearly time for your next dose. If you miss a dose, do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you stop taking Nicardipine

It is important that you keep taking Nicardipine for as long as your doctor has told you to. Do not stop taking the capsules even though you may feel better.

If you have further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Stop taking Nicardipine and seek medical advice immediately if you develop the following symptoms:

Allergic reactions: swelling of the face, throat or tongue, difficulty breathing or dizziness (anaphylaxis)

Most frequent side effects:

Headache
Dizziness
Feeling sick (nausea)
Feeling hot
Swelling up of the calves or feet (peripheral oedema)
Redness of the skin (flushing)
Feeling your heartbeat (palpitations)

Other side effects:

Severe itching (pruritus)
Rashes (erythema)
Upset stomach
Swelling of the gums (gingival hyperplasia)
Being sick (vomiting)
General weakness (asthenia)
Inability to maintain an erection (impotence)
Drowsiness
Liver problems. Symptoms may include an increase in liver enzymes (detected by blood tests)
Kidney problems. Symptoms may include difficulty or an increase in passing urine
Difficulty in sleeping (insomnia)
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet (paraesthesia)
Fluid accumulation in the lungs which causes difficulty in breathing (pulmonary oedema)
Low blood pressure (hypotension), dizziness or lightheadedness after a change in position (orthostatic hypotension)
Depression
Physical or mental weariness (lassitude)
Nervousness
Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing (dyspnoea)
Reduction in blood platelets, which increases risk of bleeding or bruising (thrombocytopenia)

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Nicardipine

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last date of that month
Do not store above 25°C. Store in the original container
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment

6. Contents of the pack and other information

What Nicardipine contain:

Each capsule contains either 20 mg or 30 mg of Nicardipine Hydrochloride.

The other ingredients are: maize starch, sodium starch glycollate, pregelatinised maize starch, gelatin, titanium dioxide (E171) and erythrosine (E127).

The 30 mg capsule also contains sunset yellow (E110) and patent blue V (E131).

What Nicardipine looks like and contents of the pack:

Nicardipine 20 mg are hard, gelatin capsules filled with a light yellow granule. The capsules are size 3, have a white opaque body with a pink opaque cap
Nicardipine 30 mg are hard, gelatin capsules filled with a light yellow granule. The capsules are size 2, have an orange opaque body with a violet opaque cap

Nicardipine is available in:

Nicardipine Capsules are available in blister packs of 28 and 56 capsules.

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Product Licence Numbers:

Nicardipine 20 mg Capsules: PL 11311/0101
Nicardipine 30 mg Capsules: PL 11311/0102

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer:

Tillomed Laboratories Limited

220 Butterfield, Great Marlings

Luton, LU2 8DL, United Kingdom

This leaflet was last revised in May 2026