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Procardia
Procardia (nifedipine), manufactured by Pfizer, is a drug used to treat high blood pressure. This medication is also used to treat migraine headaches, Raynaud's syndrome, cardiomyopathy, and congestive heart failure. Procardia is a calcium channel-blocker that relaxes the blood vessels of the heart so it doesn't have to work as hard. If Procardia is taken regularly as prescribed, it can control chest pain. It is not intended to stop chest pain once it has started.
To reduce the risk of Procardia side effects, it is important to take this medication exactly as prescribed. Procardia pills should not be crushed, chewed, or broken. Grapefruit should not be consumed in the hours before or after taking this medication. Other drugs may interact adversely with Procardia, so it is important to talk to your physician about all current use of medications and supplements. Jaundice, difficulty breathing, allergic reaction, vision problems, skin reactions, and other side effects are rare, but significant, potential effects of Procardia.
Studies also show that Procardia reduces the fertility of sperm. While Procardia does not cause permanent damage to the sperm, the drug temporarily increases the cholesterol levels in sperm. When this occurs, the sperm is unable to undergo an essential phase of fertilization. Research shows that other functions and qualities of the sperm are unaffected.
Because of this Procardia side effect, some medical experts believe that Procardia shows great promise as a male oral contraceptive. Dr. Susan Benoff, a medical fertility expert, has conducted studies to determine the effects of Procardia on the sperm and fertility. She and her colleagues have found that Procardia may be a beneficial oral contraceptive for men.
According to some reports, there are two major reasons that more research has not been conducted about the contraceptive benefits of Procardia and other nifedipine drugs. First, major drug makers do not want consumers to know about the contraceptive side effects of Procardia. They worry they will receive angry responses from patients and market share may suffer. This is an example of how drug companies put profit before educating consumers about the effects of their medications.
The second reason more research has not been conducted on Procardia as a male birth control is that the patent on Procardia will expire soon. This means that big drug makers do not stand to make a lot of money from researching and possibly marketing Procardia as an oral contraceptive. For financial reasons, the drug industry is not interested in learning more about Procardia side effects or informing consumers about these side effects.
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More Procardia Resources
MedLine Plus Drug Information - Guide to prescription and over-the-counter medications provided by the United States Pharmacopeia.
