Loading...
Mibefradil (Posicor), a long-acting nondihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, was recently withdrawn from the market, requiring physicians to switch patients taking Posicor for angina or hypertension to another agent. Four case reports document potential hazards of dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers for patients who have been on Posicor and a beta-blocker.
A 79-year-old woman taking mibefradil and propranolol was withdrawn from mebefradil and prescribed sustained-release nifedipine. One hour after her first dose of nifedipine, she collapsed with shock and junctional bradycardia and died without evidence of acute MI, aortic dissection, or pulmonary embolism. A 55-year-old taking mibefradil and nadolol was additionally prescribed felod…