Drug interactions
Calcium chloride + Nicardipine
Severity: Moderate
Calcium chloride and Nicardipine: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Intravenous calcium chloride can transiently reverse the vasodilating and negative inotropic effects of calcium channel blockers. This is used therapeutically in calcium channel blocker overdose.
What this interaction means in plain words
Calcium chloride and Nicardipine can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Increased extracellular calcium overcomes L-type calcium channel blockade.
What to do
Avoid giving IV calcium routinely to patients on nicardipine infusion unless treating hypocalcaemia or toxicity. Monitor blood pressure and heart rhythm if given.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Nicardipine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Calcium chloride with Nicardipine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Calcium chloride and Nicardipine can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Intravenous calcium chloride can transiently reverse the vasodilating and negative inotropic effects of calcium channel blockers. This is used therapeutically in calcium channel blocker overdose.
How serious is the interaction between Calcium chloride and Nicardipine?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid giving IV calcium routinely to patients on nicardipine infusion unless treating hypocalcaemia or toxicity. Monitor blood pressure and heart rhythm if given.
What other medicines interact with Nicardipine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Nicardipine with, for example, Amifostine, Amlodipine-olmesartan-hydrochlorothiazide, Betrixaban. The full list is on the Nicardipine page.
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