Health Canada has ordered a recall of a commonly used medication to treat high blood pressure because of fears an impurity found in the drugs may cause cancer with long-term exposure.
The recall affects several drugs containing the ingredient valsartan, Health Canada announced Tuesday.
Drugs containing valsartan are used to treat patients with high blood pressure to help prevent heart attacks and stroke.
An impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), was found in the valsartan used in these products, the federal agency said.
The valsartan was supplied by
Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals. NDMA is a potential human carcinogen, which means that it could cause cancer with long-term exposure.