The Medicines Co recalls High blood pressure drug

The Food and Drug Administration on Dec 17 issued a statement to alert pharmacists and risk managers to a recent recall for a drug that is indicated for treating high blood pressure or hypertension.

Eleven lots of Cleviprex or clevidipine butyrate injectable emulsion made by the Medicines Company based out of Parsippany, N.J. were subject to the recall because of presence of particulate matter.

The particulate matter comprises sub-visible inert stainless steel particles of around 2.5 microns, the company said in a recall statement posted on Dec 16.

If the particles were to aggregate and larger particles found a way into the body, they could theoretically reduce blood flow in capillaries, causing mechanical damage to some tissues and or acute or chronic inflammatory reactions.

The affected Cleviprex lots are 61-978-DW, 61-979-DW, and 61-980-DW, Exp. 01/2010; 68-404-DJ, 68-405-DJ, and 68-406-DJ, Exp. 08/2010; 69-830-DJ, 63-385-DJ, 63-386-DJ, and 63-266-DJ, Exp 03/2011; and 64-453-DJ, Exp. 04/2011, according to a press release by the company.

No other lots are affected by this recall.