According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than half a million bottles of blood pressure medication are being recalled because of a cancer-causing chemical linked to prescription drugs.
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, on October 7th issued a voluntary recall of some prazazine hydrochloride capsules that it distributed, and the FDA classified it as a Class II risk level on Friday, October 24th.
The drug has been approved by the FDA to treat high blood pressure, but it is sometimes prescribed off-label to help manage symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially nightmares and trouble sleeping. The drug works by relaxing blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.
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According to the FDA, a Class II risk is a situation “in which use or exposure to the offending product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health effects, or where the likelihood of serious adverse health effects is low.”
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Nurse Haley Delgado, left, takes Maria Hernandez’s blood pressure at Community Medical Center’s Health and Resource Fair at Banner Island Ballpark in downtown Stockton, Calif., on Aug. 9, 2025.
A risk classification from the federal agency indicates that the recalled drugs may contain a nitrosamine impurity, also called “N-nitrose prazazine impurity C.” Exposure to the product may result in serious health hazards, according to the FDA.
Here’s what you need to know about the recall, including how many bottles were recalled.
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A nurse measures the blood pressure of an elderly patient.
What blood pressure medications are withdrawn?
The recall affects more than 580,000 capsules of prazine hydrochloride distributed by Teva Pharmaceuticals.
The recipe works:
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Capsules of 1 mg: 181,659 vials
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2 mg capsules: 291,512 vials
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5 mg capsules: 107,673 bottles
According to the FDA, vials can contain anywhere from 100 to 1,000 capsules.
For more information on Recall Code and Lot Number Information, visit the FDA Compliance Report here.
What should people do with recalled drugs?
Neither Teva nor the FDA issued guidance on what to do with the recalled pills.
But according to GoodRx, anyone affected by the recall is advised to check the lot number of their medication, contact their pharmacist as well as their prescriber, and throw away the recalled medication.
USA TODAY reached out to Teva.
Contributing: USA TODAY’s James Powell.
Natalie Neisa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blood pressure drug recalled over cancer risk