The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced the withdrawal from the market of more than 580,000 blood pressure pills in the United States for exceeding the acceptable intake limit of a carcinogenic compound.
This is Prazosin hydrochloride whose trade name is Minipress and whose two main manufacturers are Amerisource Health Services LLC in Ohio and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. in New Jersey, who issued voluntary Class II recalls.
You may also be interested in: FDA issues warning for sale of radioactive shrimp
The medication is presented in capsules with doses of 1 milligram, 2 milligrams and 5 milligrams that helps relax blood vessels to facilitate blood flow. Other uses include prescribing it for sleep problems such as nightmares due to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The FDA recall orders indicate that the drugs may contain nitrosamine impurities, considered potentially carcinogenic, and may be transformed during manufacturing or storage of the drug.
You may also be interested in: Risk of botulism! FDA asks to withdraw these cans of tuna in the US
According to research from the ELSEVIER Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, N-nitrosamine impurities could have something to do with the incidence of liver, colorectal and uterine cancer.
Due to the above, the authorities maintain constant monitoring of the use of this component in medications.