Drug interactions
Nifedipine + Sildenafil
Severity: Moderate
Nifedipine and Sildenafil: 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
Both drugs lower blood pressure, and nifedipine is a CYP3A4 substrate with weak inhibitory effect on sildenafil metabolism. Together they can cause additive hypotension, more evident in hypertensive patients.
What this interaction means in plain words
Nifedipine and Sildenafil 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.
Nifedipine belongs to Cardiovascular; Sildenafil belongs to Genitourinary.
Why it happens
Additive vasodilation from PDE5 inhibition and calcium channel blockade.
What to do
Start sildenafil at a low dose and monitor blood pressure and orthostatic symptoms.
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 Nifedipine and Sildenafil, 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 Sildenafil
- Amyl nitrite + Sildenafil Contraindicated
- Atazanavir + Sildenafil Contraindicated
- Cobicistat + Sildenafil Contraindicated
- Elvitegravir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir df + Sildenafil Contraindicated
- Glyceryl trinitrate pr + Sildenafil Contraindicated
- Isosorbide dinitrate + Sildenafil Contraindicated
Other interactions of Nifedipine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Nifedipine with Sildenafil?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Nifedipine and Sildenafil 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. Both drugs lower blood pressure, and nifedipine is a CYP3A4 substrate with weak inhibitory effect on sildenafil metabolism. Together they can cause additive hypotension, more evident in hypertensive patients.
How serious is the interaction between Nifedipine and Sildenafil?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Start sildenafil at a low dose and monitor blood pressure and orthostatic symptoms.
What other medicines interact with Sildenafil?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Sildenafil with, for example, Amyl nitrite, Atazanavir, Cobicistat. The full list is on the Sildenafil 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.
