From the Guidelines
Nifedipine (Adalat) Extended Release (ER), 24 hours, is typically dosed at 30–90 mg once daily. The recommended dosages are based on the latest guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association task force on clinical practice guidelines 1.
Key Points:
- The usual dose range for Nifedipine ER is 30–90 mg once daily.
- The dose can be adjusted based on the patient's response to the medication.
- It is essential to swallow the tablets whole and not crush, chew, or break them to maintain the extended-release mechanism.
- Nifedipine ER should be taken consistently with respect to meals, preferably with food, to reduce gastrointestinal irritation.
- Patients with hepatic impairment may require lower doses due to decreased drug metabolism.
Dosage Considerations:
- The starting dose for most patients with hypertension is 30 mg once daily, which can be increased to 60 mg and then 90 mg if needed for blood pressure control.
- For patients with angina, the usual starting dose is 30 mg once daily, which may be titrated up to 90 mg daily based on clinical response.
- The maximum recommended daily dose is 90 mg. According to the 2018 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults 1, Nifedipine LA (a type of extended-release nifedipine) is listed with a usual dose range of 30–90 mg once daily.
From the FDA Drug Label
Nifedipine extended release tablets contain either: 30,60, or 90 mg of nifedipine for once-a-day oral administration The dosages of Nifedipine (Adalat) Extended Release (ER), 24 hours, are:
From the Research
Nifedipine ER Dosages
The dosages of Nifedipine (Adalat) Extended Release (ER), 24 hours, are as follows:
Dosage Comparison
A study compared the efficacy of two formulations of nifedipine, Adalat CC and Procardia XL, and found that they were equally effective in controlling blood pressure over 24 hours 5.
Special Considerations
In patients with hypertensive encephalopathy, an initial dose of 20 mg by oral drop, followed by continuous therapy with 2-5 mg every 2-3 hours, with a mean total dose of 52 mg/24 hours, was effective in controlling blood pressure 6.
Formulation Options
Nifedipine is available in various formulations, including tablets and extended-release formulations, such as Adalat CC and Procardia XL 5, 7.
Dosage Ranges
The dosage range for nifedipine tablets is 40 to 120 mg daily, with twice-daily or once-daily therapy options 7.