Nifedical XL
® (
nifedipine) is a prescription medication used to treat certain types of chest pain (
angina) and
high blood pressure (
hypertension). Nifedical XL tablets are extended release, which means they slowly release the medication evenly over time.
Nifedical XL is made by Teva Pharmaceuticals.
How Does Nifedical XL Work?
Nifedical XL is part of a class of drugs called
calcium channel blockers. Nifedical XL helps to slow down the rate at which calcium moves into the heart and into the walls of the blood vessels. This, in turn, helps to relax the blood vessels, which allows better blood flow and makes it easier for the heart to pump blood.
There are two basic types of calcium channel blockers, dihydropyridine and non-dihydropyridine. The most important difference between the two types is that non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers can slow down the heart rate, while dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers do not. Nifedical XL is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, which means that it does not usually decrease the heart rate.