Over half a million bottles of the blood pressure medication prazosin hydrochloride were recalled by drug manufacturer Teva because of higher-than-acceptable levels of impurities called N-nitrosamines, according to an enforcement report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629dd899925-7e99-42f5-8d92-95dbbec47853 The enforcement report listed the recall as a Class 2 event, which indicates that the affected medications “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629615d5d6a-1b7b-4e34-942e-2ab64c56c6a3 The recall affects 1 , 2, and 5 milligram (mg) doses of prazosin hydrochloride, an alpha-blocker that is FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure . The medication is also used off-label to treat benign enlarged prostate, nightmares tied to PTSD, and temporary discoloration of the extremities due to cold exposure.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d6241ea7-f676-4e57-85dc-c3645f1abe71 You can check the lot number on your prescription to see if it was included in the FDA’s list.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629dd899925-7e99-42f5-8d92-95dbbec47853 Neither the FDA nor Teva indicated whether consumers should throw out prazosin included in this recall. For class 2 recalls, the FDA says that people can usually keep taking recalled medications unless the manufacturer says otherwise. In some cases, stopping your medicine may be more harmful than continuing to take it. You should talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions or concerns about your medicine.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294f3de7ef-887a-46b4-a672-0b1f644366fe What Are N-Nitrosamines? Nitrosamines are chemicals commonly found in water and foods, including cured and grilled meats, dairy, and vegetables. We are all exposed to some amount of nitrosamines.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ee05321a-74dd-470d-9edd-bd0bc97dd89a N-nitrosamine impurities can form during the manufacture or storage of a drug. The FDA says that nitrosamine impurities may increase cancer risk if people are exposed to them above acceptable levels and over long periods of time — but if you took a medication with nitrosamine levels at or below accepted levels, every single day for 70 years, you would not be expected to have a higher cancer risk.
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