Drug interactions
Cimetidine + Nicardipine
Severity: Moderate
Cimetidine 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
Cimetidine can raise nicardipine plasma concentrations and strengthen its blood pressure lowering effect. This may cause excessive hypotension, flushing, headache and reflex tachycardia.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cimetidine 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.
Cimetidine belongs to Gastrointestinal Tract; Nicardipine belongs to Cardiovascular.
Why it happens
Cimetidine inhibits CYP enzymes, including CYP3A4, and reduces hepatic metabolism and first-pass clearance of nicardipine.
What to do
Monitor blood pressure and heart rate when cimetidine is started or stopped and reduce the nicardipine dose if hypotension occurs. Consider famotidine or another H2 blocker with less enzyme inhibition.
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?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Cimetidine and Nicardipine, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Cimetidine
- Cimetidine + Dofetilide Contraindicated
- Cimetidine + Fezolinetant Contraindicated
- Alfentanil + Cimetidine Major
- Atazanavir + Cimetidine Major
- Carmustine + Cimetidine Major
- Cimetidine + Citalopram Major
Other interactions of Nicardipine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cimetidine with Nicardipine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Cimetidine 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. Cimetidine can raise nicardipine plasma concentrations and strengthen its blood pressure lowering effect. This may cause excessive hypotension, flushing, headache and reflex tachycardia.
How serious is the interaction between Cimetidine 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: Monitor blood pressure and heart rate when cimetidine is started or stopped and reduce the nicardipine dose if hypotension occurs. Consider famotidine or another H2 blocker with less enzyme inhibition.
What other medicines interact with Cimetidine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Cimetidine with, for example, Dofetilide, Fezolinetant, Alfentanil. The full list is on the Cimetidine page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
