Nicardipine (IV)

🧮 Dose calculator

Hypertensive emergency (hospital) · Regimen source: FDA Cardene IV · 2.1

• • Start 5 mg/h; increase by 2.5 mg/h every 5–15 min to max 15 mg/h. The calculator shows bag mL/h. Central or large peripheral vein; change peripheral site every 12 h. FDA Cardene IV · 2.1FDA Cardene IV · 2.3

Enter age (weight is optional for this regimen).

👥 Special populations

• 🤰 PregnancyUse with caution

  Label states no clear risk or has limited data; use only if needed, under medical advice. FDA Cardene IV · 8.1

  “Risk Summary Available data from published literature (clinical trials and case series) over decades of use of intravenous nicardipine during pregnancy have not identified a drug-associated risk of major birth defects or miscarriage.”

• 🤱 BreastfeedingUse with caution

  Label: use with caution while breastfeeding; see the label text. FDA Cardene IV · 8.2

  “Risk Summary Nicardipine is present in human milk in low amounts.”

• 👶 ChildrenUse with caution

  The label has conditions, age limits or notes for children; the label sentence is quoted below. FDA Cardene IV · 8.4

  “The safety and effectiveness of CARDENE I.V. have not been established in pediatric patients.”

• 👴 Older adultsUse with caution

  Label: use with caution in older adults, usually starting at the low end of the dose range. FDA Cardene IV · 8.5

  “The steady-state pharmacokinetics of nicardipine are similar in elderly hypertensive patients (>65 years) and young healthy adults.”

• ⚥ Females & males of reproductive potentialNo data

  The source for this drug has no section for this group.