Prescription medication · Calcium Channel Blocker
nisoldipine
Also sold as Sular. Nisoldipine extended-release tablets are used to treat high blood pressure.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 1,191
- FDA reportsRarely reported
- 2
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $3.62
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
nisoldipine (Sular) is a prescription Calcium Channel Blocker, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (1,191 FDA reports), with 2 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
nisoldipine (Sular) is a prescription Calcium Channel Blocker. Nisoldipine extended-release tablets are used to treat high blood pressure.
Nisoldipine is a medicine to treat high blood pressure. It belongs to a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$3.62/unit
Generic Available
Yes (2 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Nisoldipine extended-release tablets are used to treat high blood pressure.
Common side effects
Swelling in your legs or ankles, Headache, Dizziness
Key warnings
If you are allergic to dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, you should not take this medicine.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from nisoldipine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Nisoldipine blocks calcium from entering certain cells. This helps to relax and widen blood vessels. As a result, blood can flow more easily, which lowers blood pressure.
How to Take It
Take nisoldipine extended-release tablets once a day. Take it on an empty stomach, either 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating. Swallow the tablets whole; do not crush, chew, or break them. Your doctor may start you on a low dose and increase it slowly.
This is a plain-language summary of nisoldipine's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if nisoldipine will harm your unborn baby or pass into breast milk.
This is a plain-language summary of nisoldipine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of nisoldipine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store nisoldipine at room temperature (68° to 77°F) away from light and moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 1,191 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for nisoldipine, by number of reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
88 reports
- Feeling lightheaded or unsteady
Feeling lightheaded or unsteady
77 reports
- Pain in your head
Pain in your head
76 reports
- Feeling very tired
Feeling very tired
74 reports
- Kidneys stop working
Kidneys stop working
65 reports
- Discomfort
Discomfort
64 reports
- Difficulty breathing
Difficulty breathing
63 reports
- Weakness
Weakness
62 reports
- Loose or watery stools
Loose or watery stools
59 reports
- Feeling worried or nervous
Feeling worried or nervous
54 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for nisoldipine each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where nisoldipine sits
nisoldipine has more FDA adverse-event reports than 8% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is nisoldipine; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 1,191 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
1,191
Reports Mentioning Death
123
10.3% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
394
Top Indication
Hypertension
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NAUSEA | 88 |
| 3 | DIZZINESS | 77 |
| 4 | HEADACHE | 76 |
| 5 | FATIGUE | 74 |
| 6 | RENAL FAILURE | 65 |
| 7 | PAIN | 64 |
| 8 | DYSPNOEA | 63 |
| 9 | ASTHENIA | 62 |
| 10 | DIARRHOEA | 59 |
| 11 | ANXIETY | 54 |
| 12 | MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 54 |
| 13 | OEDEMA PERIPHERAL | 54 |
| 14 | HYPERTENSION | 50 |
| 15 | PRURITUS | 49 |
| 16 | CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE | 46 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
If you are allergic to dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, you should not take this medicine.
Known Drug Interactions
Calcium Channel Blockers Felodipine a Nisoldipine Contraindicated during and 2 weeks after itraconazole treatment.
Mechanism: Itraconazole blocks the enzymes that clear nisoldipine from your body, causing the drug to build up to unsafe levels.
What to do: You should not use these medications at the same time or within two weeks of finishing your itraconazole treatment.
Phenytoin when given with the combination of fosamprenavir and ritonavir may increase the concentration of amprenavir Calcium channel blockers Nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, verapamil Other Albendazole (decreases active metabolite), chlorpropamide, clozapine, cyclosporine, digoxin, disopyramide, folic acid, methadone, mexiletine, praziquantel, quetiapine a The effect of phenytoin on phenobarbital, valproic acid and sodium valproate serum levels is unpredictable 7.3 Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions Care should be taken when using immunoanalytical methods to measure serum phenytoin...
Mechanism: Phenytoin makes your body clear nisoldipine out of your system more quickly, which can make this blood pressure medicine less effective.
What to do: Your doctor may need to monitor your blood pressure and adjust your nisoldipine dosage as needed.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
Can I cut the pill in half?
What should I avoid while taking this medicine?
What is the starting dose?
What is the usual maintenance dose?
Can I take this with other blood pressure medicines?
What if I am over 65 or have liver problems?
What should I do if I experience swelling in my ankles?
How long will I need to take this medication?
What do the tablets look like?
What if I think I'm having a serious side effect?
What are the common side effects of nisoldipine?
Does nisoldipine interact with other medications?
What drug class is nisoldipine?
Is nisoldipine safe during pregnancy?
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What the FDA Data Shows for nisoldipine
The FDA label for nisoldipine (sold under brand names such as Sular) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Calcium Channel Blocker class. Nisoldipine extended-release tablets are used to treat high blood pressure. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Swelling in your legs or ankles, Headache, Dizziness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 1,191 voluntary reports. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $3.62.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: September 30, 2022
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages