Surrey Woman Urges Vigilance After Recall of Blood Pressure Medication

A woman from Surrey is raising awareness after Health Canada recalled over 14,000 bottles of a medication designed for high blood pressure and chest pain. The recall affects two lots of MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg, which may contain the incorrect tablets, specifically Midodrine 2.5 mg tablets. These tablets are intended for treating low blood pressure, posing potential health risks to patients.

According to a Health Canada alert, the recalled lots total 14,103 bottles. The MAR-Amlodipine tablets are characterized by their white to off-white, eight-sided shape, while the Midodrine tablets are white, round, marked with “M2” on one side, and feature a line across the middle on the other side. Health Canada advises anyone who finds round tablets in their MAR-Amlodipine bottle to refrain from taking them and to return the bottle to their pharmacy for a replacement.

A spokesperson for Health Canada confirmed that, as of February 11, 2024, there had been no reported adverse reactions related to the recall. Nonetheless, Christina Clark, who was prescribed MAR-Amlodipine to manage her high blood pressure, suspects she may have received the incorrect medication. She encourages others to verify their prescriptions closely.

Clark monitors her blood pressure daily, typically recording readings around 119/80. However, after a day when she felt she had taken the wrong pill, her blood pressure spiked to 156, prompting her to faint and necessitating an emergency room visit. Following this incident, doctors recommended that she increase her blood pressure medication.

Clark complied, but soon after, she fainted again while getting up to go to the bathroom, leading to another hospital trip. During this period, she refilled her prescription, and her symptoms began to improve. Though other stressors may have contributed to her elevated blood pressure, Clark felt that her experiences aligned with the possibility of having taken the wrong medication.

Health Canada highlighted in its alert that substituting amlodipine (5 mg) with midodrine (2.5 mg) could result in serious side effects, including dangerously high blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, and even organ damage. While Clark does not hold the doctors or pharmacists accountable, she seeks clarification on how such a mix-up could occur.

Moving forward, she plans to rigorously check her medications to ensure they match her prescriptions. In response to the recall, Jennyfer Bungaroo, director of legal affairs at Marcan Pharma, which manufactures the tablets, refrained from providing additional details about the recall, including the number of pills per bottle. She stated, “As this matter is subject to Health Canada’s ongoing regulatory processes, we are not in a position to provide additional details beyond what has been publicly released.” Bungaroo emphasized that the company is cooperating fully with Health Canada and addressing the situation in accordance with regulatory and quality requirements.

As the situation develops, patients are urged to remain vigilant and to consult with their healthcare providers to ensure their medications are correct. Clark’s experience serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of medication safety and the need for thorough verification in pharmaceutical practices.