More than 20,000 bottles of blood pressure medication are subject to an urgent recall after manufacturers found it is ‘super-potent’.
Viatris is recalling 21,620 bottles of Telmisartan and Amlodipine tablets. The medication is used to treat blood pressure. However, the company has found some batches of the bottles are ‘super-potent’ and contain too much telmisartan.
It said: “Superpotent Drug: potential for the Telmisartan content in these lots to exceed specifications.”
The medication in question is produced in India for Viatris, a firm based in Morgantown, West Virginia. It is available across the United States. The recall has been issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA notice listed the product description as: “Telmisartan and Amlodipine, Tablets, USP, 40mg/5 mg, 30-count Bottle, Rx only, Manufactured for: Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., Morgantown, WV 26505 USA, Made in India, NDC 0378-1075-93.”
The batch numbers are: “Lot # 3228113, 3228114, 3228115, Exp Date: Oct 31, 2026; Lot # 3228120, 3228121, Exp Date: Nov 30, 2026.”
The recall was first issued on October 1. It is a ‘class III’ recall which means “use of or exposure to a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences”.
However, patients are still being urged to check their bottles and return them to the pharmacist they purchased them from.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is “very common”, according to the NHS. It says “older adults” are more likely to suffer from the symptom-less disease.
You’re also at more risk of developing the disease if you have a strong family of high blood pressure, are Black African, Black Caribbean or South Asian ethnic background, have an unhealthy, high-salt diet, are overweight, smoke, drink too much alcohol, or are stressed for a prolonged period.
If left untreated, it can lead to more serious problems like heart attacks or strokes. That’s why over-40s can get a free blood pressure check at their GP or some pharmacies.