Did BiDil Go Generic?
What is BiDil (Hydralazine and Isosorbide dinitrate)?
BiDil is a prescription brand medication that contains two drugs: Hydralazine and Isosorbide dinitrate. Both drugs relax your blood vessels.
- Isosorbide dinitrate: A vasodilator that dilates your blood vessels, allowing for increased blood flow. It affects both your veins and arteries, reducing preload, which is the initial stretching of your heart muscle cells before contraction.
- Hydralazine: An arterial vasodilator that’s used to decrease afterload, the force your heart must beat against in order to expel blood during systole.
How did BiDil become generic?
The generic version of BiDil was recently released on April 12, 2022, which should assist in lowering the cost of this medication.
What is BiDil (Hydralazine/Isosorbide dinitrate) used for?
BiDil is used on heart failure patients, particularly African Americans, to increase survival, lengthen the period before hospitalization, improve heart failure symptoms as well as enhance your overall quality of life.
How does BiDil work?
BiDil contains a combination of hydralazine as well as isosorbide dinitrate, which are both vasodilators. They function by relaxing and broadening your blood vessels to provide easier blood flow to your heart.
How is BiDil administered?
The initial dosage of this medication is hydralazine 37.5 mg-isosorbide dinitrate 20 mg tablets taken by mouth 3 times a day. The maximum dose is hydralazine 75 mg-isosorbide dinitrate 40 mg orally 3 times a day. Your physician might begin you on a low dose and then gradually raise it.
Side effects
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Reflex tachycardia, which frequently happens when your blood pressure drops, causes your heart to beat more quickly in an effort to raise it.
- Palpitations (rapid, strong, and/or irregular heartbeats)
- Fluid retention which tends to result in an accumulation of fluid in your body tissues
- While your body responds to this drug, you may experience flushing, such as redness in your face, neck, and/or chest
Serious side effects
- A sense of imminent faintness or lightheadedness
- Numbness and/or tingling sensation that may occur in your hands and/or feet
- Joint discomfort, pain, or swelling
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Extreme fatigue
- Chest discomfort
- Increased heartbeat
- Heart attack symptoms such as nausea, perspiration, jaw or shoulder discomfort, and chest pain and/or pressure.
If you’re experiencing any of the serious side effects listed above, immediately call your doctor and stop taking this medication.
Interactions
If you're using any PDE-5 inhibitors, such as avanafil, sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, or riociguat, you should avoid taking this medication.
The combination of hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate may lead to severe hypotension, which is low blood pressure.
Both hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate may interact with other medications as well, including prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, vitamins, and/or herbal remedies.
Inform your healthcare professionals about every medication you are currently taking as well as any that you begin or stop utilizing.
What happens if I miss a dose?
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it's almost time for your next dose. In this case, skip the forgotten dose and take the next one at the usual time. Do not take 2 doses together to make up for a missed dose.
Speak With Your Doctor
BiDil (generic: Hydralazine/Isosorbide dinitrate) is relatively considered a safe and effective medication when taken appropriately (as prescribed by your doctor). Talk to your doctor today about using BiDil (generic: Hydralazine/Isosorbide dinitrate) and send your prescription to Marley Drug. Save up to 95% compared to your local pharmacy by using Marley Drug.
Plus, Marley Drug provides free nationwide shipping, allowing you to receive your medication at no additional cost straight to your door.