Calcium-Channel Blockers

Also indexed as: Bepadin®, Bepridil, Cardene®, DynaCirc®, Isradipine, Lacidipine, Lercanidipine, Nicardipine, Nimodipine, Nimotop®, Nisoldipine, Sular®, Vascor®

Calcium-channel blockers are a family of drugs used to treat angina, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, heart failure, and Raynaud’s disease, as well as to prevent migraine headaches.

For interactions involving specific calcium-channel blocking drugs, refer to the highlighted medications listed below.

Summary of Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
(for details about the summarized interactions, read the full article)

Avoid Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results.

Pleurisy root

Depletion or interference

None known

Side effect reduction/prevention

None known

Supportive interaction

None known

Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability

None known

Interactions common to many, if not all, Calcium Channel Blockers are described in this article. Interactions reported for only one or several drugs in this class may not be listed in this article. Some drugs listed in this article are linked to articles specific to that respective drug; please refer to those individual drug articles. The information in this article may not necessarily apply to drugs in this class for which no separate article exists. If you are taking a Calcium Channel Blocker for which no separate article exists, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

Interactions with Herbs

Pleurisy root
As pleurisy root and other plants in the Aesclepius genus contain cardiac glycosides, it is best to avoid use of pleurisy root with heart medications such as calcium channel blockers.1

References

1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 1996, 213–4.