A new recall affecting more than 580,000 bottles of blood pressure medication may give patients pause as they weigh concerns about medication safety against managing their condition. The recall comes as national leaders urge more people to begin or stay on prescription anti-hypertension drugs: Roughly 50% of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with hypertension, but “1 in 4 adults with high blood pressure has their blood pressure under control,” CDC experts say.
This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a recall on three dosages of alpha blockers known as Prazosin Hydrochloride Capsules. In addition to its main use as an anti-hypertensive drug, Prazosin is also sometimes prescribed off-label to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and nightmares. According to Scientific American, up to 20% of veterans treated through Veteran Affairs (VA) take Prazosin for their symptoms.
Cited as the reason for the recall, the drugs were discovered to contain nitrosamine impurities known as “N-nitroso Prazosin Impurity C” which were above acceptable limits. This means that the capsules contained higher-than-safe concentrations of toxic chemical compounds called nitrosamines, which could eventually increase cancer risk when taken at high doses over long periods of time.
But don’t toss your pills, authorities urge. An October 24 update has classified the event as a Class II incident, suggesting that the “probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.” They add: “A person taking a drug that contains nitrosamines at-or-below the acceptable daily intake limits every day for 70 years is not expected to have an increased risk of cancer.”
While the risk of developing cancer related to nitrosamine impurities is low, the risk of abruptly stopping your medications is high. Weill Cornell experts warn that some people will experience withdrawal symptoms, while others may experience rebound hypertension—a sudden blood pressure spike that could cause adverse heart events. “Patients taking prescription medications with potential nitrosamine impurities should not stop taking their medications. Patients should talk to their health care professionals about concerns and other treatment options,” the FDA advises.
The prescription-only medications, sold in one-milligram, two-milligram, and five-milligram dosed capsules, were produced by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., of Parsippany, New Jersey. These are the codes and dates associated with the recall:
Prazosin Hydrochloride Capsules, USP — 1 mg
- Quantity: 181,659 bottles
- National Drug Codes (NDC):
- 100 Capsules: NDC 0093-4067-01
- 1,000 Capsules: NDC 0093-4067-10
- Recall Number: D-0104-2026
- Affected Lots:
- Lot # 3010544A — Exp. Date: 10/2025
- Lot # 3010545A — Exp. Date: 10/2025
- Lot # 3010590A, Exp Date: 02/2026
- Lot # 3010601A, 3010602A, 3010603A — Exp. Date: 03/2026
- Lot # 3010652A, 3010670A, 3010671A — Exp. Date: 07/2026
- Lot # 3010678A, 3010700A, 3010701A — Exp. Date: 08/2026
- Lot # 3010440A — Exp. Date: 12/2025
- Lot # 3010672A — Exp. Date: 07/2026
Prazosin Hydrochloride Capsules, USP — 2 mg
- Quantity: 291,512 bottles
- National Drug Codes (NDC):
- 100 Capsules: NDC 0093-4068-01
- 1,000 Capsules: NDC 0093-4068-10
- Recall Number: D-0105-2026
- Affected Lots:
- Lot # 3010398A, 3010399A, 3010400A, 3010401A, 3010353A — Exp. Date: 12/2025
- Lot # 3010439A, 3010388A — Exp. Date: 01/2026
- Lot # 3010526A, 3010527A — Exp. Date: 03/2026
- Lot # 3010591A — Exp. Date: 07/2026
- Lot # 3010343A — Exp. Date: 10/2025
- Lot # 3010352A — Exp. Date: 11/2025
- Lot # 3010468A, 3010469A, 3010461A — Exp. Date: 02/2026
- Lot # 3010629A — Exp. Date: 09/2026
- Lot # 3010653A — Exp. Date: 01/2027
- Lot # 3010654A, 3010679A, 3010702A — Exp. Date: 02/2027
- Lot # 3010547A — Exp. Date: 04/2026
- Lot # 3010402A — Exp. Date: 02/2028
- Lot # 3010593A — Exp. Date: 07/2026
- Lot # 3010610A — Exp. Date: 09/2026
Prazosin Hydrochloride Capsules, USP — 5 mg
- Quantity: 107,673 bottles
- National Drug Codes (NDC):
- 100 Capsules — NDC 0093-4069-01
- 250 Capsules — NDC 0093-4069-52
- 500 Capsules — NDC 0093-4069-05
- Recall Number: D-0106-2026
- Affected Lots:
- Lot # 3010403A, 3010385A, 3010404A — Exp. Date: 02/2026
- Lot # 3010405A, 3010510A, 3010528A, 3010354A — Exp. Date: 03/2026
- Lot # 3010592A, 3010605A, 3010611A, 3010612A — Exp. Date: 08/2026;
- Lot # 3010655A, 3010703A — Exp Date: 02/2027
- Lot # 3010430A — Exp. Date: 11/2025
- Lot # 3010613A — Exp. Date: 08/2026
- Lot # 3010406A — Exp. Date: 02/2026
If you believe you may be taking the affected drugs, contact your doctor to discuss your best course of action.
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