Taking medication every day is routine for millions of people with high blood pressure. Tablets are often taken automatically as part of a morning habit, and most patients rarely think twice about what is inside the packet.
Health authorities are now advising people to check their medicine more carefully after a packaging mistake involving a widely prescribed treatment.
A production error has led to a recall of certain boxes of the blood pressure medication ramipril after concerns that some packs may contain the wrong tablets.
Manufacturing issue
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has identified a problem affecting a specific batch of ramipril produced by Crescent Pharma.
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Investigations suggest the error occurred during the packaging stage at a factory where multiple medicines are handled.
Some boxes labelled as ramipril 5mg may contain blister strips of amlodipine, another medication used to treat high blood pressure.
The affected packs can be identified by the batch number GR164099 printed on the outer packaging.
Advice for patients
People who have this batch are advised to check the blister packs inside the box to confirm that the tablets match the label.
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If the blister strips are labelled amlodipine instead of ramipril, the medication should be returned to a pharmacy.
Health officials say the risk to patients is considered relatively low because both medicines are used to treat the same condition.
Possible symptoms from taking the wrong tablets may include:
- dizziness
- low blood pressure
- fatigue or feeling faint
Ramipril belongs to a group of drugs called ACE inhibitors, which help widen blood vessels and reduce pressure on the heart.
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Amlodipine works differently. It is a calcium channel blocker that relaxes the muscles in the blood vessel walls, helping blood flow more easily.
Sources: Daily Mail
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