Navigation

Procardia vs. Catapres

Are Procardia and Catapres the Same Thing?

Procardia (nifedipine) and Catapres (clonidine hydrochloride) are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).

Procardia is also used to treat angina (chest pain).

Procardia and Catapres are different types of antihypertensive drugs. Procardia is a calcium channel blocker and Catapres is a central alpha-agonist.

Side effects of Procardia and Catapres that are similar include dizziness, headache, drowsiness, tired feeling, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, and sleep problems (insomnia or nightmares).

Side effects of Procardia that are different from Catapres include weakness, swelling ankles/feet, joint pain, leg cramps, nausea, rash or itching, urinating more than usual, and flushing (warmth/redness/tingly feeling under your skin).

Side effects of Catapres that are different from Procardia include dry mouth, lightheadedness, irritability, mood changes, ear pain, fever, feeling hot, increased thirst, loss of interest in sex, impotence, difficulty having an orgasm, and cold symptoms (such as runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, or sore throat).

Both Procardia and Catapres may interact with other heart medications to treat the same or another condition.

Procardia may also interact with grapefruit and grapefruit juice, cimetidine, erythromycin, itraconazole or ketoconazole, carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampin, or rifabutin.

Catapres may also interact with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (sleeping pills, narcotics, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety, depression, or seizures), clonidine transdermal skin patches, digoxin, digitalis, antidepressants, beta-blockers, heart or blood pressure medicines, and medicines to treat psychiatric disorders.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Procardia?

Common side effects of Procardia include:

  • dizziness,
  • weakness,
  • swelling ankles/feet,
  • joint pain,
  • leg cramps,
  • headache,
  • drowsiness,
  • tired feeling,
  • nausea,
  • diarrhea,
  • constipation,
  • stomach pain,
  • sleep problems (insomnia),
  • rash or itching,
  • urinating more than usual, or
  • flushing (warmth/redness/tingly feeling under your skin).

Tell your doctor if you experience unlikely but serious side effects of Procardia including:

  • fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat, or
  • fainting.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Catapres?

Common side effects of Catapres include:

  • dry mouth,
  • drowsiness,
  • dizziness,
  • lightheadedness,
  • irritability,
  • tiredness,
  • mood changes,
  • sleep problems (insomnia or nightmares),
  • headache,
  • ear pain,
  • fever,
  • feeling hot,
  • constipation,
  • diarrhea,
  • stomach pain,
  • increased thirst,
  • loss of interest in sex,
  • impotence,
  • difficulty having an orgasm, or
  • cold symptoms such as runny or stuffy nose,
  • sneezing,
  • cough, or
  • sore throat.

Many side effects of Catapres may go away after several doses. Serious side effects of Catapres include hypotension, bradycardia, congestive heart failure, weakness, and edema.

What Is Procardia?

Procardia (nifedipine) is a calcium channel blocker used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and to treat angina (chest pain).

What Is Catapres?

Catapres (clonidine hydrochloride) is a centrally acting alpha-agonist hypotensive agent used to treat hypertension. Catapres is available as a generic named clonidine (tablets and patches).

 

What Drugs Interact With Procardia?

Procardia may interact with other heart medications to treat the same or another condition, cimetidine, erythromycin, itraconazole or ketoconazole, carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampin, or rifabutin. Tell your doctor all medications you use. During pregnancy, Procardia should be used only when prescribed. This medication passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

What Drugs Interact With Catapres?

Catapres may interact with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (sleeping pills, narcotics, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety, depression, or seizures), antidepressants, beta-blockers, digitalis, other products containing clonidine, or other drugs to treat high blood pressure or heart problems.

Catapres may also interact with digoxin or medicines to treat psychiatric disorders.

 

How Should Procardia Be Taken?

The usual starting dose of Procardia is one 10 mg capsule, 3 times/day. The usual effective dose range is 10–20 mg three times daily.

How Should Catapres Be Taken?

Catapres (clonidine hydrochloride, USP and TTS) is available in strengths of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg tablets and patches for transdermal administration (TTS form). No adequate, well-controlled studies have been conducted in pregnant or breastfeeding women; this drug may be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients has not been established although some pediatric physicians have used the drug to treat hypertensive children.