FDA warns of drug shortages for high blood pressure due to recalls

Officials at the Food and Drug Administration warn that there could be a shortage of drugs used to treat high blood pressure.

"Valsartan products are in short supply, and we know that other types of products may be coming soon," said Dr. Scott Gottlieb and Janet Woodbad in an FDA statement released Friday, CNN reported. .

Drugs containing valsartan, losartan and irbesartan have been at the center of recalls after the discovery of an impurity called NDMA. NDMA is considered an environmental contaminant and a potential carcinogen.

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NDMA may have been introduced into the manufacturing process "from the reuse of materials, such as solvents," reported CNN.

>> Read: Recall Alert: Recall of 80 lots of valsartan blood pressure tablets

The FDA is testing all of the angiotensin II receptor blockers, or ARBs, for NDMA and found that some ingredients imported from Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals were contaminated, Reuters reported.

No pharmaceutical products company based in China is allowed to enter the United States, reported CNN.

>> Read: Torrent Pharmaceuticals recalls a drug for Losartan's high blood pressure because of an "unexpected impurity"

Other companies have also recalled valsartan after the discovery of NDMA, according to Reuters.

>> Read: Reminder: Losartan Potbadium Tablets Recall

Since last summer, the FDA has recalled dozens of drugs for blood pressure, reported NBC News.

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