New batch of blood pressure medication recalled over cancer concerns

More blood pressure medication has been added to the long list of recalled hypertension drugs.

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Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited has voluntarily recalled 32 lots of blood pressure pills after discovering traces of a carcinogen, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced.

The affected pills, losartan and potassium/hydrochlorothiazide combination tablets, contain small amounts of N-nitroso-diethylamine (NDEA). The impurity, typically found in certain foods, drinking water and air pollution, has been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited is notifying its distributors and customers and is arranging for the return of all recalled products. The company’s also coordinating returns with retailers, wholesalers and consumers.

Patients on the medications are advised to continue taking the tablets and to contact their doctor for advice. The company said, “the risk of harm to a patient’s health may be higher if the treatment is stopped immediately without any alternative treatment.”

The FDA has listed additional information about the specifics of the drugs, including doses, lot numbers and expiration dates, on its site here.

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