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Blood pressure medications recalled for carcinogenic risks

On Behalf of | Aug 19, 2022 | Drug & Medical Device Injuries |

Residents of North Carolina who have high blood pressure should be aware that medications to treat the condition were recalled. The action was taken because of potentially high carcinogenic levels in the drugs.

What medications were recalled?

Two types of blood pressure medications were recently recalled due to potentially high levels of a carcinogen. The medications are made by Lupin Pharmaceuticals and were pulled in the last quarter of 2021. According to a notice of the recall published by the Food and Drug Administration, Lupin voluntarily pulled the medications.

The specific medications involved in the recall are irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide tablets, which are normally used to treat high blood pressure and diabetic nephropathy in individuals with type 2 diabetes who have high blood pressure. According to the company, it put a halt on marketing of these medications after receiving word that four patients became ill. The substance believed to be the problem is N-nitrosodimethylamine, which has also been linked to Zantac and other heartburn medications that were also previously recalled.

Which batches of medications are affected?

Lupin Pharmaceuticals determined that the batches of medications affected after reports of the four ill patients to be from between Oct. 8, 2018 and Sept. 30, 2021. However, the illnesses were unrelated to the potential carcinogenic component in the tablets.

Lot numbers for these medications was included in the FDA drug recall notice. The bottles of the tablets were in 30 and 90 count amounts and were sent to pharmacies, drug chains, supermarkets and wholesalers. Lupin has made arrangements to recover all of the affected medications.

Anyone who has been prescribed these medications should continue taking them but contact their doctor to find an alternative. Adverse reactions should also be reported to the FDA by mail, fax or online.