Nifedipine
Prescription ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Nifedipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker used for hypertension and angina (including vasospastic/Prinzmetal angina). The extended-release formulation is preferred; immediate-release nifedipine is no longer recommended for hypertension due to risk of reflex tachycardia and unpredictable blood pressure drops.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
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What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Nifedipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker used for hypertension and angina (including vasospastic/Prinzmetal angina). NutriStack rates the supporting evidence as strong. Common adult dosing is 30–90 mg once daily (extended-release) (as prescribed by your physician), though a prescriber sets the actual dose. This profile indexes 10 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: effective blood pressure reduction, angina relief including prinzmetal (vasospastic) angina, coronary vasodilation. 10 sources indexed (1997–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Potently inhibits L-type calcium channels in vascular smooth muscle, causing arterial vasodilation and reduced peripheral resistance. More selective for vascular smooth muscle than cardiac tissue. Has minimal effects on cardiac conduction. Immediate-release causes rapid vasodilation with reflex sympathetic activation.6,7
Dosing & protocol.
Extended-release tablets should be swallowed whole; do not crush or chew; grapefruit juice can significantly increase levels
Full safety detail.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
5- 1Magnesium sulfate versus nifedipine for tocolysis: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPMIDde Souza ATB, de Lima Machado ML, Sarmento ACA et al. · Women & health · 2025
de Souza ATB, de Lima Machado ML, Sarmento ACA et al.. Magnesium sulfate versus nifedipine for tocolysis: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Women & health. 2025
- 2Oral nifedipine versus intravenous labetalol for hypertensive emergencies during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDLi L, Xie W, Xu H et al. · The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians · 2023
Li L, Xie W, Xu H et al.. Oral nifedipine versus intravenous labetalol for hypertensive emergencies during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians. 2023
- 3Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of atosiban versus nifedipine for inhibition of preterm laborPMIDAli AA, Sayed AK, El Sherif L et al. · International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2019
Ali AA, Sayed AK, El Sherif L et al.. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of atosiban versus nifedipine for inhibition of preterm labor. International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. 2019
- 4Safety of nifedipine in angina pectoris: a meta-analysisPMIDStason WB, Schmid CH, Niedzwiecki D et al. · Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979) · 1999
Stason WB, Schmid CH, Niedzwiecki D et al.. Safety of nifedipine in angina pectoris: a meta-analysis. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979). 1999
- 5Safety of nifedipine in patients with hypertension: a meta-analysisPMIDStason WB, Schmid CH, Niedzwiecki D et al. · Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979) · 1997
Stason WB, Schmid CH, Niedzwiecki D et al.. Safety of nifedipine in patients with hypertension: a meta-analysis. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979). 1997
Reference material
5- 6Abernethy DR and Schwartz JB. Calcium-antagonist drugs. N Engl J Med. 1999.Source linkedPMID
- 7Brown MJ et al. Morbidity and mortality in patients randomised to double-blind treatment with long-acting calcium-channel blocker or diuretic (INSIGHT). Lancet. 2000.Source linkedPMID
- 8Singh A et al. Efficacy of pharmacological agents for management of post-partum hypertension: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Hum Hypertens. 2026.Source linkedPMID
- 9Yin J, Mei Z, Shi S et al.. Nifedipine or amlodipine? The choice for hypertension during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of gynecology and obstetrics. 2022Source linkedPMID
- 10van de Vusse D, Mian P, Schoenmakers S et al.. Pharmacokinetics of the most commonly used antihypertensive drugs throughout pregnancy methyldopa, labetalol, and nifedipine: a systematic review. European journal of clinical pharmacology. 2022Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Nifedipine, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Nifedipine?
Nifedipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker used for hypertension and angina (including vasospastic/Prinzmetal angina). The extended-release formulation is preferred; immediate-release nifedipine is no longer recommended for hypertension due to risk of reflex tachycardia and unpredictable blood pressure drops.
What is Nifedipine used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Nifedipine include: Effective blood pressure reduction; Angina relief including Prinzmetal (vasospastic) angina; Coronary vasodilation; Useful in pregnancy-related hypertension. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Nifedipine?
A typical adult dose of Nifedipine is 30–90 mg once daily (extended-release) (as prescribed by your physician). The commonly recommended form is Extended-release tablet (Procardia XL, Adalat CC); avoid sublingual or immediate-release for hypertension. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Nifedipine?
Reported side effects include peripheral edema, flushing, headache, dizziness, reflex tachycardia (more common with ir formulation), constipation. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Nifedipine?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Nifedipine in NutriStack.
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