felodipine vs nifedipine
PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.
Side-by-side comparison of felodipine and nifedipine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
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Felodipine is a drug that lowers your blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
Nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker. It helps to relax blood vessels, which can lower blood pressure and reduce chest pain.
Felodipine treats high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering your blood pressure helps prevent strokes and heart attacks. It's important to also manage other risk factors like cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking. You may need more than one medicine to control your blood pressure.
This medicine treats chest pain (angina) caused by tight blood vessels. It also treats high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
Felodipine is a calcium channel blocker. It works by relaxing and widening your blood vessels. This makes it easier for blood to flow, which lowers blood pressure.
Nifedipine blocks calcium from entering heart and blood vessel cells. This relaxes and widens blood vessels. As a result, the heart doesn't have to work as hard, and blood pressure goes down.
- • Swelling in your ankles or feet
- • Headache
- • Flushing (redness of face)
- • Feeling tired
- • Swelling, especially in the legs or ankles
- • Headache
- • Fatigue
- • Dizziness
- • Constipation
- Fatigue 1,051
- Dyspnoea 952
- Dizziness 946
- Diarrhoea 846
- Nausea 846
- Dyspnoea 2,429
- Fatigue 2,304
- Diarrhoea 2,264
- Nausea 2,220
- Headache 1,997
If you take certain medicines like ketoconazole, itraconazole, or erythromycin, talk to your doctor. These drugs can greatly increase the amount of felodipine in your blood, leading to unwanted effects. Also, if you take anticonvulsants like phenytoin, carbamazepine, or phenobarbital, felodipine may not work as well.
In rare cases, nifedipine can cause serious gastrointestinal problems, including obstruction. If you experience severe abdominal pain, vomiting, or inability to pass stool, seek immediate medical attention.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if felodipine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about breastfeeding while taking felodipine.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if nifedipine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while pregnant or breastfeeding.
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How to Read This felodipine vs nifedipine Comparison
felodipine is classified in the Calcium Channel Blocker drug class, while nifedipine sits within the Calcium Channel Blocker class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory, but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, felodipine has 4,641 submissions while nifedipine has 11,214. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for felodipine or nifedipine.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.