Pfizer recalls three levels of heart and blood pressure medication for carcinogen content

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer has voluntarily recalled a blood pressure medication for the second time in a month.

Pfizer is recalling five lots of blood pressure medicine Accupril because of elevated levels of a N-nitroso-quinapril, a compound known as a nitrosamine, the company said in a news release posted Friday on the FDA website.

Nitrosamines are found in water and foods, including grilled meats and dairy products, but impurities may increase a person’s cancer risk over long periods, Pfizer said. Accupril is used to lower blood pressure and manage heart failure. Pfizer said it has not received any reports of adverse reactions by people taking the drug.

“Pfizer believes the benefit/risk profile of the products remains positive based on currently available data. Although long-term ingestion of N-nitroso-quinapril may be associated with potential increased cancer risk in humans, there is no immediate risk to patients taking this medication,” the company said.

Pfizer recalled another blood pressure medication on March 22. The affected products in that recall are quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide (Accuretic) tablets that Pfizer distributes, and two authorized generics, quinapril plus hydrochlorothiazide and quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide, distributed by Greenstone.