TABLE 1.
Cardiovascular drugs removed from the market due to adverse drug reactions between 1950 and 2017
| Medicinal product | Class | Therapeutic indication | Reason for withdrawal | Total years in the market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adenosine phosphate | Antiarrhythmic | Cardiac arrhythmia | Cardiovascular | 43 |
| Aliskiren | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Angioedema | 4 |
| Amoproxan | Antianginal | Angina | Sensory systems, skin | 1 |
| Beclobrate | Antilipidemic | Hyperlipidemia | Hepatotoxicity | 5 |
| Benzarone | Thrombolytic | Varicose veins | Liver | 28 |
| Bepridil | Antiarrhythmic | Cardiac arrhythmia | Cardiovascular | 23 |
| Buflomedil | Vasodilator | Peripheral arterial occlusive disease | Neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity | 36 |
| Cadralazine | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Immunologic | 3 |
| Cerivastatin | Antilipidemic | Hyperlipidemia | Renal, musculoskeletal | 4 |
| Cinepazide | Vasodilator | Cerebrovascular disease | Hematologic | 14 |
| Clofibrate | Antilipidemic | Hyperlipidemia | Accelerated deaths | 11 |
| Cyclandelate | Vasodilator | Raynaud’s disease | Not effective for use | 9 |
| Diethyl-aminoethoxyexestrol | Antianginal | Angina pectoris | Liver | 6 |
| Dilevalol | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Liver | 1 |
| Dinoprostone* | Prostaglandin | Induction of labor | Fetal distress, uterine hypertonia | 19 |
| Dofetilide | Antiarrhythmic | Cardiac arrhythmia | Cardiovascular | 5 |
| Drotrecogin alfa (activated) | Antithrombotic | Sepsis | Insufficient evidence, bleeding risk | 10 |
| Encainide | Antiarrhythmic | Cardiac arrhythmia | Cardiovascular | 6 |
| Erythrityl tetranitrate | Antihypertensive | Angina pectoris | Insufficient evidence, skin | 43 |
| Flosequinan | Vasodilator | Congestive heart failure | Death | 1 |
| Gallopamil | Antiarrhythmic | Cardiac arrhythmia | Not specified, cardiovascular | 18 |
| Gemfibrozil | Anticholesterol | Dyslipidemia | Negative benefit-to-harm balance | 5 |
| Guanethidine | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Sensory systems | 13 |
| Hexestrol bis | Vasodilator | Hypertension | Hepatotoxicity | 17 |
| (β-diethylaminoethyl ether) | ||||
| Hydrochlorothiazide + sotalol | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Cardiovascular, drug interactions | 16 |
| Indoramin | Vasodilator | Benign prostatic hyperplasia, hypertension | Cardiovascular | 30 |
| Isoprenaline | Cardiac stimulant | Bradycardia and heart block, asthma | Cardiovascular | 43 |
| Laropiprant/nicotinic acid | Antilipidemic | Facial flushing | Higher frequency of non-fetal but serious side effects | 0 |
| Levarterenol | Vasopressor | Nonhemorrhagic shock | Nervous, Cardiovascular | 69 |
| Lysine amidotrizoate** | Radiography | Vascular diagnosis | Cardiovascular, hematologic, immunologic, urinary tract (safer alternatives) | 20 |
| Metipranolol | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Sensory systems (uveitis) | 5 |
| Mibefradil | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Drug interactions, musculoskeletal | 1 |
| Molsidomine | Antianginal | Angina pectoris | Tumorigenicity | 13 |
| Moxisylyte (thymoxamine uroalpha) | Antianginal | Benign prostatic hyperplasia | Liver | 4 |
| Muzolimine | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Nervous system | 4 |
| Naftidrofuryl | Vasodilator | Intermittent | Cardiovascular, | 18 |
| oxalate (IV) | claudication | immunologic, liver, urinary tract | ||
| Nifedipine (10 mg) | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Cardiovascular | 21 |
| Pargyline | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Interaction with tyramine | 16 |
| Pentosan polysulfate Sodium | Antithrombotic | Cystitis, osteoarthritis | Hematologic, thrombocytopenia | 29 |
| Perhexiline maleate | Antianginal | Angina pectoris | Hypoglycemia, liver, musculoskeletal, nervous system | 11 |
| Phentolamine mesylate | Antihypertensive | Erectile dysfunction | Carcinogenicity | 2 |
| Polidexide | Antilipidemic | Hyperlipidemia | Oculomucocutaneous syndrome | 3 |
| Potassium canrenoate | Antihypertensive | Hypertension, ascites | Carcinogenic | 18 |
| Potassium nitrate | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Tumorigenicity | 80 |
| Practolol | Antihypertensive | Hypertension | Gastrointestinal, sensory systems, skin | 11 |
| Prenylamine | Antianginal | Angina pectoris | Cardiovascular: multifactorial ventricular tachycardia | 29 |
| Probucol*** | Antioxidant | Hyperlipidemia | Cardiovascular, Torsade de pointes | 9 |
| Pronethalol | Antihypertensive | Angina pectoris | Tumorigenicity | 2 |
| Sitaxentan sodium | Antihypertensive | Pulmonary arterial hypertension | Hepatotoxicity | 4 |
| Suloctidil | Vasodilator | Intermittent claudication | Liver, hepatotoxicity | 10 |
| Tienilic acid (ticrynafen) | Antihypertensive | Hypertension, kidney stones | Liver, urinary tract | 4 |
| Tocainide | Antiarrhythmic | Cardiac arrhythmia | Hematologic, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia | 5 |
| Triparanol | Antilipidemic | Hyperlipidemia | Sensory systems, skin | 3 |
*
Dinoprostone is a prostaglandin that has a direct mechanism of action as a vasodilator;
**
Lysine amidotrizoate is a radiographic agent but it is used for vascular diagnosis;
***
Probucol is an antioxidant that acts as an anti-hyperlipidemic drug.