(Gray News) – A voluntary recall has been issued by a pharmaceutical company for a medication used to treat high blood pressure after a cancer-causing chemical was found in the medicine, which is available by prescription only.
According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recall was issued by Teva Pharmaceuticals after the presence of a carcinogenic component was detected in some capsules of the drug prazosin.
The FDA indicated that the medicine subject to recall may contain the nitrosamine impurity at levels above the acceptable limit. The medication is typically used to treat high blood pressure.
The FDA, however, reported that 580,844 bottles could contain nitrosamine in excess, which can be linked to cancer.
The recall affects 181,659 bottles of capsules 1 mg; 291,512 bottles of capsules 2 mg; and 107,673 bottles of capsules 5 mg.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is typically defined as a blood pressure reading of 130/80 mmHg or greater, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
