HSA recalls 3 brands of high blood pressure medicine

This article is more than 12 months old

Mar 29, 2019 06:00 am

Three brands of a medicine prescribed for high blood pressure are being recalled because they contain higher than acceptable amounts of nitrosamine impurity, which can potentially cause cancer.

The three brands are Hyperten, Losagen and Losartas, which come in 50mg and 100mg tablets. There are about 137,000 patients taking them.

As the recall might affect supply, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is advising doctors to prescribe only a month's worth to patients for the next six months.

Patients taking these three brands of Losartan are advised not to stop taking them as the health risk is low, the Health Sciences Authority said yesterday.

The MOH said that about 130,000 of the 137,000 patients had been prescribed Losartas at public hospitals and polyclinics.

Patients whose next appointment is before July 1 should wait till then to speak to their doctor, who will advise them on suitable alternatives, it said.