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Prescribing Advice for GPs

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Corgard discontinued

The manufacturer of nadolol (Corgard®) has confirmed that this product has been discontinued. The product has been discontinued for commercial reasons.

Nadolol, a beta blocker, is licensed for use in hypertension, angina, arrhythmias, migraine prophylaxis and adjunctive treatment of thyrotoxicosis. Supply chain stock will be limited and there is no generic alternative. Treatment should not be stopped abruptly and therefore patients who are currently being prescribed nadolol should be identified, reviewed offered an appropriate alternative.

Action: Clinicians should be aware of this product being discontinued. It would be prudent to run clinical system searches to identify any patients who are currently prescribed this product to allow a review and an alternative to be arranged.

Update: As of June 2018 it would seem that the manufacturer reversed the decision to discontinue Corgard® and the 80mg tablets remain available and in the supply chain.

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93 Comments to “Corgard discontinued”

  1. Is there a substitute for nadolol that is medically the same? Need to keep resting heart rate at 60. Has been working well. Copay is now very high, was fairly cheap.

    Comment by Kane Taylor — February 15, 2020 #
    Reply

    1. @Kane Taylor,

      Yes, there are lots of other beta-blockers available similar to nadolol - propranolol and bisoprolol are two possibilities worth discussing with your doctor.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — February 15, 2020 #
      Reply

  2. The manufacturer Sandoz stopped making nadolol and it was the only one that agreed with me. So far I have been very sick with high blood pressure and still am because I am not on anything that agrees with me. I am allergic to sodium laureth sulfate, it's been s nightmare. How does a drug manufacturer just stop a pill? Sandoz should go to jail along with the owner they did something really bad to me and I suffer everyday of my life.

    Comment by R Cozzi — December 7, 2019 #
    Reply

    1. R Cozzi,

      Corgard brand is available in the UK from Sanofi without the ingredient you say you are allergic to, might be worth you asking about it. Companies frequently stop making things that don't make them money anymore, it's a thing you have to accept in a capitalist economy, them same economy that allows competition to drive drug prices down. Companies and their share holders will never be prosecuted or jailed for this - it's business.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — December 7, 2019 #
      Reply

      1. Very helpful answer to this person's question. I'm looking for an alternative as well.

        I really like your advice of having to accept this sort of thing in a capitalist economy. More and more I'm seeing that Marx was not an extremist, he was a visionary. As long as the wealthy companies and the politicians can profit off the slavery of the working class conditions will only get worse. At some point the tensions will get so great things will snap. We'll then see either the elimination of one class or the other. Too bad the a middle ground can't be found. Until then, we workers need to make it harder and harder for the rich to exploit us... by any means necessary.

        Best wishes to you, fellow traveler. I hope your future is bright.

        Comment by Don Cely — January 17, 2020 #
        Reply

    2. It is still available as of today, 18th December 2019. You should check again.

      Comment by Penny — December 19, 2019 #
      Reply

  3. It's one thing for drug companies to discontinue drugs for "commercial reasons". It's another when they don't provide information to those who have been taking this drug, an alternative option. I've been taking Nadolol/Ben... for almost 20 years now and it has worked well for me. Come on drug companies - do your due diligence and provide an alternative option. People rely on you, just as you rely on people to buy your drug products.

    Comment by Deborah — November 13, 2019 #
    Reply

    1. @Deborah,

      I appreciate what you are saying here but do you really want to give your private medical information to drug companies? They would need full access to allow them to notify you direct when they discontinue a drug.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — November 13, 2019 #
      Reply

  4. When I refilled my nadolol prescription last month they gave me some blue pills instead of the yellow ones. What has changed? The label reads the same but after taking them for 2 weeks I am having chest pains and dizziness. I have to have a beta blocker for my QT syndrome and it is a matter of life and death for me. This happened before when my doctor changed drugs for my blood pressure, I had to go right away to his office and get another medication. Any answers please?

    Comment by roy lavergne — September 30, 2019 #
    Reply

    1. @Roy Lavergne,

      You need to get the pills check at the pharmacy to make sure they gave you the correct drug and strength.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — October 1, 2019 #
      Reply

  5. I was on Nadolol for a month. I suffered from severe blurred vision. I stopped it three weeks ago and am still am left with blurred vision. I see my eye doctor in two days. I hope it hasn't caused permanent vision loss. I'll repost after the eye doctor visit. Stay healthy all.

    Comment by Diane — May 6, 2019 #
    Reply

    1. @Diane,

      The nadolol should be completely out of your body by now so should not be causing any further issues. I suspect it may not be linked to your eyesight problems. Hopefully you get that sorted.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — May 8, 2019 #
      Reply

  6. I live in the U.S. (Tennessee) and was taking Nadolol for over 30 years for arrhythmia. In February 2019, I went into Atrial fibrillation (I am 60 yrs old) and doctors stopped the Nadolol and gave me metoprolol, jumping dosages from 50 mg to 200 mg within 2 weeks due to continuing (nightly) episodes. Within days my BP dropped below 90/60, my energy level tanked, and doctors stopped the metoprolol. Within days of stopping the metoprolol, my resting heart rate was 120 bpm or higher. Complicated by oxygen saturation issues, I collapsed unexpectedly and landed in the hospital. A real mess that I attribute mostly to the metoprolol.
    Research on nadolol alternatives showed that a discontinued notice (discontinued for COMMERCIAL reasons) was reversed in June 2018, with the 80 mg now being available.
    One alternative for nadolol mentioned was Inderal. Availability and cost unknown.
    Doctors are, now, trying a 'calcium channel blocker' class of drug on me to get my heart rate down while treating/preventing the atrial fibrillation, called Cardizem. I pray that it works.
    I hope this info helps.
    I, also, hope that manufacturers of these life-saving drugs start showing some compassion to the people who allow them to make their huge profit margins, stop discontinuing drugs 'for commercial reasons', and do the right thing in all of this.

    Comment by Brian Harbour — February 20, 2019 #
    Reply

  7. Kroger filled my Nadolol 20mg today. I have experienced no interruption in the availability.

    Comment by Greg — February 6, 2019 #
    Reply

    1. @Greg,

      I can't recall nadolol 20mg ever being available in the UK. We only ever had 40mg and 80mg strengths.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — February 8, 2019 #
      Reply

  8. I contacted Sanofi in the UK who manufacture Corgard/Nadolol and they said there was no notification is was now being stopped here. I asked the customer service guy to double check. He said it was carrying on and no notice to stop. Really confusing, I hope he's right.

    Comment by Katherine Stevenson — May 28, 2018 #
    Reply

    1. @Katherine,

      I'm sure I didn't dream the letter I saw when I made this post. Other organisations in the UK seem to be saying it's discontinued as well, but perhaps the decision was reversed. I'll try to find time to check next week.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — May 31, 2018 #
      Reply

    2. @Katherine,

      Well, I made a call today to the UK licence holder for Corgard®, they were able to look back on their system and confirm a letter was sent in March 2016 advising that Corgard® was being discontinued, but they also confirmed that they are still making the 80mg tablet and that is it currently available and in the supply chain. It seems that the letter was a mistake or that the decision was reversed in this case.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — June 7, 2018 #
      Reply

    3. All things being said if you called their company the chances are good. For them to want to sell it as make their money at the expense of our possible death! I'd check FDA or whichever agency regulates these in your country. Good luck & great health to you dear.

      Comment by Suzette Rodriguez — October 3, 2018 #
      Reply

    4. They screwed us over.

      Comment by Rochelle Cozzi — January 13, 2019 #
      Reply

  9. I have been using Corgard for many years and it is a perfect medicine for me. The generic Nadolol is not. About 10 years ago my former pharmacy gave me Nadolol saying that they were not selling Corgard anymore - a decision by whomever decides what medicines they sell. The pharmacy said they only can sell what the "warehouse" has. I took the drug and if I did not see 3 doctors within 5 weeks - my neurologist for carpel tunnel, my cardiologist for a check up and my doctor for my diabetes - I would not know until I felt the effects that my blood pressure was up. Nadolol did not work.
    My CVS was finding Corgard difficult to obtain. I just received a call from the pharmacy saying they only have 88 tablets to fill my 90 count prescription and have no plans to get anymore. Said I'll take it although I have to pay full co-pay of $126. I wish I knew what the REAL reason for its discontinuance.

    Comment by Val — February 6, 2018 #
    Reply

  10. I too have been on Corgard 80mg for over 30 years and three years ago was told by Walgreen's that they could no longer get it, so I switched to CVS who has been able to get it from WorldWideMeds, until just last week a tech called and said they only had 9 pills and could no longer get anymore! I have LGL syndrome, so not sure what I will be doing now. I didn't have to pay such an exorbitant price that some of you have, co-pay was $95.00 monthly. Pray that we all will find an acceptable alternative.

    Comment by BJ — November 28, 2017 #
    Reply

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