While there are several lifestyle changes you can make to address high blood pressure, many Americans also take medication to help keep levels at a healthy rate. Medications can help prevent heart failure, kidney failure, a heart attack, or stroke, according to Cleveland Clinic, important considerations if you're one of the 116 million people affected by high blood pressure. But while these medications are intended to improve your health, one variety is now subject to recall due to the presence of the narcotic oxycodone. Read on to find out what you should do if you have these blood pressure meds at home.
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A stray oxycodone tablet was found after a batch of blood pressure tablets was packaged.
U.S. FDAAccording to an Oct. 3 recall notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), KVK-Tech, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a single lot of 10-milligram Betaxolol Tablets.
Per the notice, the 10-mg betaxolol pills are white, round, and film-coated, with one side displaying a "K" and the number "13." The pills were packaged in white plastic bottles, each filled with 100 tablets, and distributed to wholesalers and retailers nationwide. Bottles in the affected lot (Batch Number: 17853A) have an expiration date of June 2027.
The lot was recalled "as a precautionary measure," due to the presence of oxycodone hydrochloride—a narcotic (also referred to as an opioid) that's a "popular drug of abuse," per the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
According to the release, the company found a single, five-milligram oxycodone hydrochloride tablet on the packaging line during line clearance—the process of making sure equipment is free of materials—after the recalled betaxolol batch was packaged.
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Taking a narcotic can pose a "serious health risk."
iStockIf more oxycodone pills were mistakenly packaged with or instead of betaxolol, it presents serious health risks for different patient groups, per the FDA.
"The betaxolol package insert warns about slowing in the heart rate in elderly patients which is likely to be exacerbated by inadvertent opioid administration," the FDA release reads. "Additionally, some patients prescribed low-dose betaxolol might have compromised heart and lung function that is also likely to be exacerbated by an opioid."
In addition, those with opioid use disorder (OUD), those at risk of OUD, infants, children, and older adults can be negatively affected if they mistakenly take a narcotic. This is especially true "if a substantial number of oxycodone tablets have been introduced into a bottle labeled as betaxolol," the agency says.
"Therefore, inadvertent exposure to a controlled substance, such as oxycodone, in that patient population is likely to result in significant slowing in breathing, known as respiratory depression, which is a serious health risk," the release reads.
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Stop taking these pills if you have them.
Tomas Nevesely / ShutterstockThe FDA notes that betaxolol and oxycodone hydrochloride tablets look similar, and there are "minor differences in appearance between betaxolol 10 mg tablets and oxycodone 5 mg tablets."
In fact, even if you take 10-milligram betaxolol tablets every day, you probably wouldn't notice the difference, according to the FDA.
While KVK hasn't received any reports of foreign tablets in bottles of betaxolol tablets, if you received recalled pills, stop using them and immediately return them to KVK-Tech. The company will reimburse you for the cost of purchasing the medication, the release states.
If you experience any issues related to these tablets, contact your physician or healthcare provider, per the FDA.
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KVK is actively notifying customers.
blackCAT / iStockKVK notified both distributors and customers about the recall via email and FedEx overnight mail on Sept. 26, the FDA release states. The company is currently arranging for the return of products from the recalled batch. The company also noted that a small number of bottles may have gone to retail pharmacies.
For questions about the recall, you can call KVK at 215-579-1842 Ext: 6002, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), or email customerservice@kvktech.com.
