Last reviewed 2026-05-24 · How we verify

Cardene (NICARDIPINE)

Cardene (generic name: NICARDIPINE) is a Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker Small molecule drug developed by Hikma Intl Pharms. It is currently FDA-approved (first approved 1988) for Angina pectoris, Hypertensive disorder.

Cardene works by blocking calcium channels in the heart and blood vessels, which helps to relax and widen blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and heart workload.

Cardene is a small molecule used to treat various conditions, including coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, and occlusion of an artery. It is administered intracoronarily or possibly via other routes, as indicated by clinical trials studying its effects on vasodilation and microvascular dysfunction.

At a glance

Mechanism of action

Mechanism of Action:. Nicardipine hydrochloride capsules are calcium entry blocker (slow channel blocker or calcium ion antagonist) that inhibits the transmembrane influx of calcium ions into cardiac muscle and smooth muscle without changing serum calcium concentrations. The contractile processes of cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle are dependent upon the movement of extracellular calcium ions into these cells through specific ion channels. The effects of nicardipine hydrochloride capsules are more selective to vascular smooth muscle than cardiac muscle. In animal models, nicardipine hydrochloride capsules produce relaxation of coronary vascular smooth muscle at drug levels that cause little or no negative inotropic effect.

Approved indications

• Angina pectoris
• Hypertensive disorder

Common side effects

• Headache
• Hypotension
• Nausea/vomiting
• Tachycardia
• Dizziness
• Injection site reaction
• Sweating
• Polyuria
• ECG abnormality
• Ventricular extrasystoles
• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain

Drug interactions

• CYP2C9 Substrates
• CYP3A4 Substrates
• P-glycoprotein Substrates
• ketoconazole
• tacrolimus

Key clinical trials

• Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) Plus ABCB1 Inhibition Versus TACE Alone in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma (PHASE2,PHASE3)
• Clevidipine for the Antihypertensive Treatment of Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage
• Lumbar Drain With Intrathecal Nicardipine in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (PHASE4)
• Outcome in Patients Treated With Endovascular Thrombectomy - optIMAL Blood Pressure Control 2 (OPTIMAL-BP 2) (PHASE3)
• Hypotensive Anesthesia for Orthognathic Surgery (PHASE4)
• Pharmacometric Modeling of a Hospital Preparation
• A Comparison of Nicardipine and Labetalol for Blood Pressure Control in Intensive Care Patients After Hemorrhagic Stroke Brain Surgery (NA)
• Comparison of Post-Craniotomy Blood Pressure Targets (NA)

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• Cardene CI brief — competitive landscape report
• Cardene updates RSS · CI watch RSS
• Hikma Intl Pharms portfolio CI

Frequently asked questions about Cardene

Related

• Drug class: All Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker drugs
• Target: All drugs targeting Voltage-dependent T-type calcium channel subunit alpha-1H
• Manufacturer: Hikma Intl Pharms — full pipeline
• Therapeutic area: All drugs in Cardiovascular
• Indication: Drugs for Angina pectoris
• Indication: Drugs for Hypertensive disorder

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing