Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet belongs to a group of medications called Calcium channel blockers primarily used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Hypertension (High blood pressure) is a condition in which the force exerted by the blood against the artery walls becomes so high that it causes health problems, such as heart disease. It is also used to reduce strokes and chest pain (angina) caused by the arteries' blockage. In addition to this, Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet is also used to treat preterm labour.

Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet works by relaxing the blood vessels; this lowers your blood pressure and reduces your risk of having a stroke, a heart attack, other heart problems, or kidney problems in the future. This medicine needs to be taken regularly to be effective and also for the best results.

Your doctor will advise you on how often you take Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet based on your medical condition. You may experience common side effects like low blood pressure, headache, slow heartbeat, dizziness, and rash in some cases. Most of these side effects of Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor.

Try not to stop taking this medicine of your own. Let your doctor know if you have any liver or heart problems, are pregnant or breastfeeding. You should monitor your blood pressure regularly to be sure that the Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet is working efficiently. And also, a healthy diet, and regular exercise is necessary to keep blood pressure under control. Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you're taking nifedipine. It can make side effects worse. Even a small reduction in sodium in your diet helps improve your heart's health and reduce blood pressure.

Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet works by relaxing the blood vessels; this lowers your blood pressure and reduces your risk of having a stroke, a heart attack, heart-related chest pain (angina) other heart problems, or kidney problems in the future. This medicine needs to be taken regularly to be effective and also for the best results.

• Low blood pressure

• Headache

• Slow heartbeat

• Dizziness

• Rash

Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet should be taken with caution in patients with chest pain (angina), congestive heart failure, liver/kidney disease, hypotension (low blood pressure), peripheral oedema (swelling of hands/legs), and diabetes. You should monitor your blood pressure regularly to make sure the Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet is working efficiently. Besides, this prolonged intake of Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet can lower blood pressure (hypotension). So, daily monitoring of blood pressure is advisable. 

Drug-Drug Interaction: Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet is known to interact when taken with an anticancer drug (quinidine), antiepileptic medicine (phenytoin), anti TB drug (rifampicin), antibiotics (erythromycin), other blood pressure-lowering pills and anti-psychotic drugs, anti-HIV drug (iamprendinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir or amprenavir), drugs used to treat insomnia or anxiety (Phenobarbital).

Drug-Food Interaction: Please keep your doctor informed of what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John's wort (used in the treatment of depression).

Drug-Disease Interaction: Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet is contraindicated in patients with severe aortic stenosis (narrowed heart valve), cardiogenic shock (when suddenly heart does not get enough blood supply), the recent history of unstable angina (chest pain), heart failure, and hypotension (low blood pressure).

• QUINIDINE
• PHENYTOIN
• RIFAMPICIN
• ERYTHROMYCIN
• NELFINAVIR
• RITONAVIR
• SAQUINAVIR
• AMPRENAVIR
• PHENOBARBITAL

• Weight loss is an effective lifestyle change for controlling blood pressure. Losing even a small amount of weight can be very helpful in lowering blood pressure.

• Include a more healthy diet like whole grains, fruits, and low-fat dairy products in your food as it will effectively help lower blood pressure. Also, prefer eating home-cooked food and avoiding eating junk and outside food.

• Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you're taking nifedipine. It can make side effects worse.

• Even a small reduction in sodium in your diet helps improve your heart's health and reduce blood pressure.

• Regularly monitor your blood pressure as it can fluctuate and can lead to serious life-threatening effects.

• Avoid the intake of alcoholic beverages with Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet as it can make you dehydrated and affect your sleep. Drinking more amount of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure and affect the efficacy of Calcigard 10 Retard Tablet.

High blood pressure: It is the measurement of the force that our heart uses to pump blood to all parts of the body. Hypertension is a chronic condition when blood pressure is too high. This condition can lead to hardened arteries (blood vessels), decreasing the blood and oxygen flow to the heart. Raised blood pressure can cause chest pain (angina) and heart attack (when the blood supply to the heart is blocked). Additionally, high blood pressure also causes brain damage (stroke) and kidney failure. High blood pressure can be diagnosed with the help of a blood pressure monitor or sphygmomanometer. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart pumps blood out. On the other hand, diastolic pressure is when your heart is at the resting stage between heartbeats. If your blood pressure is 140/90 mm of Hg, it means the systolic pressure is 140 mm of Hg, and diastolic pressure is 90 mm of Hg. Ideal blood pressure should be between 90/60 mm of Hg and 120/80 mm of Hg.