Cardene and Dry Mouth

There are many potential side effects of Cardene, and dry mouth appears to be one of them. To obtain relief, you can try chewing sugarless gum, sipping water or sugarless drinks often, and avoiding caffeinated drinks and alcohol. If you continue to experience a dry mouth with Cardene, your healthcare provider may recommend other treatments (such as artificial saliva), adjust your Cardene dosage, or prescribe another blood pressure or angina medicine.

 

Cardene and Dry Mouth: An Overview

A dry mouth is one of the possible side effects of Cardene® (nicardipine hydrochloride). In studies, 1.4 percent of people taking Cardene for chest pain (angina) reported experiencing a dry mouth. Fewer people (0.4 percent) taking Cardene for high blood pressure (hypertension) reported problems with a dry mouth.
 

Cardene and Dry Mouth: Recommendations

For people taking Cardene, there are some things that you can do to help with a dry mouth.
 Some of these suggestions include:
 
  • Sipping water or sugarless drinks often.
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  • Sipping water or sugarless drinks during meals. This will make chewing and swallowing easier. It may also improve the taste of food.
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  • Avoiding drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and some sodas. Caffeine can dry out the mouth.
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  • Avoiding tobacco or alcohol; they dry out the mouth.
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  • Using a humidifier at night.
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  • Being aware of spicy or salty foods. These may cause pain in a dry mouth.
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  • Chewing sugarless gum or sucking on sugarless, hard candy to stimulate saliva flow; cinnamon- or mint-flavored candies are good choices.
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(Cardene and Dry Mouth Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;