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Nimodipine

Nimodipine is a calcium channel blocker used to reduce the risk of serious neurological complications after subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding around the brain) from a ruptured aneurysm.

Brand names NymalizeNimotop
Drug class Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker
Rx Forms 2
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Reviewed by Last reviewed Jul 10, 2026 Content updated Oct 2, 2026
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand

The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 5 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →

✓No current FDA shortage listed · checked Oct 5, 2026
Nimodipine at a glance The quick version — the full detail is in the Patient Information Guide below.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
The Pharmacist’s Take By · Clinical pharmacist · Written

Nimodipine is a brain-targeted calcium channel blocker that relaxes artery walls. It is given after a subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding around the brain from a burst aneurysm) to limit damage from blood vessel spasm, and it is the standard treatment for this, usually started in the hospital, on the market since the late 1980s and available as a generic. Most people tolerate it reasonably well, and the effects they notice most are lightheadedness from lower blood pressure, headache or nausea. The boxed warning says it goes by mouth or feeding tube only, never into a vein, because injecting capsule contents has caused cardiac arrest and deaths.

Clinical pearls

  • Take it on an empty stomach, at least one hour before or two hours after a meal, and avoid grapefruit juice.
  • Doses run around the clock for 21 days in a row, so the overnight doses count and the course often continues after discharge.
  • Some antibiotics, antifungals and HIV medicines must never be combined with nimodipine because they can cause dangerously low blood pressure.
  • Rifampin, St. John's wort and seizure medicines like phenytoin or carbamazepine can make nimodipine much less effective.
How we write & review this content — our editorial policy →
⚠️ FDA Boxed Warning — the FDA’s strongest safety alert ▾

NEVER inject nimodipine or give it by IV — this can be fatal. Deaths and life-threatening events including cardiac arrest, cardiovascular collapse, dangerously low blood pressure, and severe slowing of the heart have occurred when the contents of nimodipine capsules were accidentally injected into a vein instead of given by mouth. Nimodipine must only be taken by mouth or through a feeding tube. This warning applies to all nimodipine products.

Read the full warning on DailyMed →
How you get itPrescription only
Comes asCapsule, Oral solution
Earliest FDA record1988
Companies listing it with the FDA4
FDA label last updatedAug 30, 2024
FDA’s strongest warning (boxed)Yes, read the warning

Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Nimodipine, written from its FDA label.

What Nimodipine is used for

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Nimodipine is used specifically to protect the brain after a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) — a serious bleed that occurs around the brain when a berry aneurysm ruptures.

  • Nimodipine capsules are indicated to reduce the incidence and severity of ischemic deficits (brain damage from reduced blood flow) in patients with SAH from a ruptured intracranial berry aneurysm, regardless of how severe their neurological status is at the start of treatment.
  • Nimodipine oral solution carries the same indication, specifically in adult patients with SAH from a ruptured intracranial berry aneurysm.
  • Nymalize oral solution is indicated for the same purpose: improving neurological outcomes in adult SAH patients from a ruptured intracranial berry aneurysm, across all grades of neurological severity (Hunt and Hess Grades I–V).

How Nimodipine works

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Nimodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. It works by blocking calcium ions from entering the smooth muscle cells that surround blood vessel walls. Without that calcium influx, the muscles relax rather than contract — which helps keep blood vessels from narrowing. Nimodipine is particularly drawn to cerebral (brain) arteries because it is highly lipophilic (fat-soluble), which allows it to cross the blood-brain barrier and act directly in the brain.

Although clinical trials show that nimodipine reduces the severity of neurological deficits caused by cerebral vasospasm (tightening of brain arteries) after SAH, imaging studies have not confirmed that it visibly prevents or reverses that spasm. The exact way it helps the brain after a bleed is not fully understood.

Nimodipine dosage

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Nimodipine is taken every 4 hours — six times a day — for 21 consecutive days. It must always be given by mouth or through a feeding tube (nasogastric or gastric), never by injection. Treatment should start as soon as possible and no later than 96 hours after the hemorrhage.

  • Always take nimodipine on an empty stomach: at least 1 hour before a meal or 2 hours after eating — food significantly reduces how much of the drug your body absorbs.
  • Avoid grapefruit juice throughout treatment.
  • If you have cirrhosis, your doctor will reduce your dose and monitor you closely.
  • Follow your prescriber's instructions exactly; never adjust the dose on your own.

Dosing details from the FDA-approved label

From the Nimodipine prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.

  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) - Nymalize oral solution, oral route
    • 10 mL (60 mg) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days
    • Start within 96 hours of the onset of SAH
    • Give one hour before a meal or two hours after a meal
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) - Nymalize oral solution, nasogastric or gastric tube
    • 10 mL (60 mg) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days with the supplied prefilled oral syringe
    • For each dose refill the syringe with 10 mL of 0.9% saline solution and flush remaining contents from the tube into the stomach
    • Give one hour before a meal or two hours after a meal
  • Patients with cirrhosis - Nymalize oral solution
    • Reduce dosage to 5 mL (30 mg) every 4 hours
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage - nimodipine capsules (30 mg)
    • 60 mg (two 30 mg capsules) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days
    • Start as soon as possible within 96 hours of the onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage
    • Swallow whole with a little liquid, preferably not less than one hour before or two hours after meals; avoid grapefruit juice
  • Patients with severely disturbed liver function/cirrhosis - nimodipine capsules
    • One 30 mg capsule every 4 hours with close monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate
    • If necessary, consider discontinuing treatment
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) - nimodipine oral solution 3 mg/mL, oral route
    • 20 mL (60 mg) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days
    • Start within 96 hours of the onset of SAH
    • Give one hour before a meal or two hours after a meal
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) - nimodipine oral solution 3 mg/mL, nasogastric or gastric tube
    • 20 mL (60 mg) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days with an oral syringe
    • For each dose refill the syringe with 20 mL of 0.9% saline solution and flush remaining contents into the stomach
    • Give one hour before a meal or two hours after a meal
  • Patients with cirrhosis - nimodipine oral solution 3 mg/mL
    • Reduce dosage to 10 mL (30 mg) every 4 hours
Read the label’s full dosing text

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION DO NOT ADMINISTER NIMODIPINE CAPSULES INTRAVENOUSLY OR BY OTHER PARENTERAL ROUTES (see WARNINGS ). If nimodipine is inadvertently administered intravenously, clinically significant hypotension may require cardiovascular support with pressor agents. Specific treatments for calcium channel blocker overdose should also be given promptly. Nimodipine capsules are given orally in the form of gray opaque colored, soft gelatin 30 mg capsules for subarachnoid hemorrhage. The recommended oral dose is 60 mg (two 30 mg capsules) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days. In general, the capsules should be swallowed whole with a little liquid, preferably not less than one hour before or two hours after meals. Grapefruit juice is to be avoided (see PRECAUTIONS, Drug Interactions ). Oral nimodipine capsules therapy should commence as soon as possible within 96 hours of the onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage. If the capsule cannot be swallowed, e.g., at the time of surgery, or if the patient is unconscious, a hole should be made in both ends of the capsule with an 18 gauge needle, and the contents of the capsule extracted into a syringe. A parenteral syringe can be used to extract the liquid inside the capsule, but the liquid should always be transferred to a syringe that cannot accept a needle and that is designed for administration orally or via a naso-gastric tube or PEG. To help minimize administration errors, it is recommended that the syringe used for administration be labeled “Not for IV Use”. The contents should then be emptied into the patient’s in situ naso-gastric tube and washed down the tube with 30 mL of normal saline (0.9%). Severely disturbed liver function, particularly liver cirrhosis, may result in an increased bioavailability of nimodipine due to a decreased first pass capacity and a reduced metabolic clearance. The reduction in blood pressure and other adverse effects may be more pronounced in these patients. Dosage should be reduced to one 30 mg capsule every 4 hours with close monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate; if necessary, discontinuation of the treatment should be considered. Strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 should not be administered concomitantly with nimodipine (see CONTRAINDICATIONS ). Strong inducers of CYP3A4 should generally not be administered with Nimodipine (see WARNINGS ).

Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →

Nimodipine side effects

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The most common side effect of nimodipine is a drop in blood pressure. Other reported effects include:

Common side effects

  • Low blood pressure (decreased blood pressure)
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Skin rash
  • Swelling (edema)
  • Slow heartbeat (bradycardia)
  • Abnormal liver function tests
  • Decreased blood pressure (hypotension) — the most frequent, occurring in about 4–5% of patients

When to get medical help

  • Call your doctor right away if you feel faint, dizzy, or your blood pressure drops significantly
  • Seek emergency help immediately if nimodipine is ever given by injection — this is a life-threatening medical emergency
  • Tell your doctor if you develop signs of heart rhythm problems such as a very slow or irregular heartbeat
  • Contact your doctor if you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice) or signs of liver problems
  • Call your doctor if you experience severe or worsening neurological symptoms

Less commonly, patients have reported flushing, vomiting, dizziness, and changes in heart rhythm. If you feel faint, experience a very slow heartbeat, or notice yellowing of the skin or eyes, contact your medical team right away.

Nimodipine warnings and precautions

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  • Fatal injection risk: Nimodipine must NEVER be given intravenously or by any other injection route. Deaths, cardiac arrest, and cardiovascular collapse have resulted from accidental IV administration. This is the most critical safety rule with this medication.
  • Low blood pressure (hypotension): Nimodipine can lower blood pressure significantly. Blood pressure must be monitored throughout the full 21-day course.
  • Liver disease (cirrhosis): The drug builds up to much higher levels in patients with cirrhosis, increasing the risk of adverse effects. A lower dose and close monitoring of blood pressure and pulse are required.
  • Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors: Certain antibiotics, antifungals, HIV drugs, and other medications can cause nimodipine levels to spike, raising the risk of dangerously low blood pressure. These combinations are contraindicated or should generally be avoided.
  • Strong CYP3A4 inducers: Drugs like rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, and St. John's wort can make nimodipine much less effective. These combinations should generally be avoided.

Nimodipine interactions

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Nimodipine interacts with several types of medications and foods — some interactions can be dangerous:

  • Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., clarithromycin, ketoconazole, ritonavir, nefazodone): raise nimodipine blood levels significantly, causing severe blood pressure drops — contraindicated
  • Strong CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., rifampin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine, St. John's wort): lower nimodipine levels and reduce its effectiveness — generally should be avoided
  • Moderate/weak CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., diltiazem, verapamil, erythromycin, fluconazole, cimetidine): can increase nimodipine levels — blood pressure monitoring and possible dose reduction needed
  • Moderate/weak CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., prednisone, modafinil): may reduce nimodipine's effect — monitor for reduced effectiveness
  • Other blood pressure-lowering drugs (diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, other calcium channel blockers, PDE5 inhibitors, alpha-blockers): may add to nimodipine's blood pressure-lowering effect — monitor carefully
  • Grapefruit juice: inhibits CYP3A4 and should be avoided entirely during treatment

Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label

From the Nimodipine prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.

  • Anti-hypertensives (diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, other calcium channel blockers, α-adrenergic blockers, PDE5 inhibitors, α-methyldopa): Nimodipine may increase the blood pressure lowering effect of these drugs. Monitor blood pressure carefully; dose adjustment of the blood pressure lowering drug(s) may be necessary.
  • Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., clarithromycin, telithromycin, indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, boceprevir, telaprevir, ketoconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, conivaptan, delavirdine, nefazodone): Nimodipine plasma concentration can be significantly increased, which may increase the blood pressure lowering effect. Concomitant administration should generally be avoided.
  • Moderate and weak CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., amiodarone, cimetidine, cyclosporine, diltiazem, erythromycin, fluconazole, fluoxetine, verapamil): Nimodipine plasma concentration can be increased. Monitor blood pressure; a reduction of the nimodipine dose may be necessary.
  • Cimetidine: In eight healthy volunteers, mean peak nimodipine plasma concentrations increased 50% and mean area under the curve increased 90% after a one-week course of cimetidine at 1,000 mg/day and nimodipine at 90 mg/day.
  • Grapefruit juice: Grapefruit juice inhibits CYP3A4. Ingestion of grapefruit/grapefruit juice is not recommended while taking nimodipine.
  • Strong CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampin, St. John's wort): Nimodipine plasma concentration and efficacy may be significantly reduced. Concomitant use should generally be avoided.
  • Moderate and weak CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., armodafinil, bosentan, efavirenz, etravirine, Echinacea, modafinil, nafcillin, pioglitazone, prednisone, rufinamide, vemurafenib): May reduce the efficacy of nimodipine. Monitor closely for lack of effectiveness; a nimodipine dosage increase may be required.
Read the label’s full interactions text

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS • Anti-Hypertensives : May increase risk of hypotension. Monitor blood pressure. (7.1) • CYP3A4 Moderate and Weak Inhibitors: May increase risk of hypotension. Monitor blood pressure. Dose reduction of nimodipine may be needed. Avoid grapefruit juice. (7.2) • CYP3A4 Moderate and Weak Inducers: May reduce efficacy of nimodipine. Dose increase may be needed. (7.3) 7.1 Blood Pressure Lowering Drugs Nimodipine may increase the blood pressure lowering effect of concomitantly administered anti-hypertensives such as diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, other calcium channel blockers, α-adrenergic blockers, PDE5 inhibitors, and α-methyldopa. In Europe, nimodipinewas observed to occasionally intensify the effect of antihypertensive drugs taken concomitantly by hypertensive patients; this phenomenon was not observed in North American clinical trials. Blood pressure should be carefully monitored, and dose adjustment of the blood pressure lowering drug(s) may be necessary. 7.2 CYP3A4 Inhibitors Nimodipine plasma concentration can be significantly increased when concomitantly administered with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. As a consequence, the blood pressure lowering effect may be increased. Therefore, the concomitant administration of nimodipine and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors should generally be avoided [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ]. Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors include some members of the following classes: - macrolide antibiotics (e.g., clarithromycin, telithromycin), - HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir), - HCV protease inhibitors (e.g., boceprevir, telaprevir), - azole antimycotics (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole), - conivaptan, delavirdine, nefazodone Nimodipine plasma concentration can also be increased in the presence of moderate and weak inhibitors of CYP3A4.

Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Drug Interactions section on DailyMed →

Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.

🌿227 supplements and herbs with documented Nimodipine interactions, ranked by severity Check Nimodipine against a supplement or herb →

Before taking Nimodipine

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  • Tell your doctor if you have cirrhosis or significant liver disease — the drug builds up to higher levels, requiring dose adjustment and close monitoring
  • List all medications you take, including antibiotics, antifungals, HIV drugs, seizure medications, antidepressants, and herbal supplements — many interact with nimodipine
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant — animal studies show potential for fetal harm including increased fetal death and structural abnormalities
  • Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding — nimodipine has been detected in human milk; discuss the risks with your provider
  • Nimodipine has not been studied in pediatric patients and is not established as safe or effective in children
  • Older adults may have roughly twice the drug exposure compared to younger adults — use with appropriate caution and monitoring
  • Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors are contraindicated — do not take them together with nimodipine

Nimodipine overdose

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There are no reported cases of nimodipine overdose from oral use, but an overdose would be expected to cause excessive widening of blood vessels, leading to severely low blood pressure. If this happens, cardiovascular support with blood pressure-raising medications would be needed, along with standard treatments for calcium channel blocker overdose. Because nimodipine is very tightly bound to proteins in the blood, dialysis is unlikely to remove meaningful amounts of the drug.

What Nimodipine does in the body

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Nimodipine relaxes vascular smooth muscle by blocking calcium from entering muscle cells in blood vessel walls. This effect is especially pronounced in cerebral (brain) arteries, likely due to the drug's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. In clinical trials, nimodipine significantly reduced the severity of neurological deficits related to cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. As a calcium channel blocker, it may also lower blood pressure and has the potential to affect heart rate and conduction, though significant heart rhythm effects were not observed in clinical trials at recommended doses.

How your body processes Nimodipine

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Nimodipine is absorbed quickly after oral administration, reaching peak blood levels within about 15 minutes to just over an hour. However, because it undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism (processing by the liver before reaching the bloodstream), only about 13% of an oral dose actually reaches the circulation. It is broken down primarily by the CYP3A4 liver enzyme into mostly inactive metabolites, and less than 1% is excreted unchanged in the urine. The drug has a terminal elimination half-life of about 8–9 hours, but earlier elimination is much faster — which is why dosing every 4 hours is necessary. Patients with cirrhosis and elderly patients can have up to twice the drug exposure of younger, healthy adults, making monitoring especially important in those groups.

How to store Nimodipine

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The capsules should be stored in manufacturer’s original foil package at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) .

Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

227

Supplements & herbs that interact with Nimodipine

227 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Nimodipine in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.

Severity mix
  • Major · 6
  • Moderate · 180
  • Minor · 41
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL Major AMERICAN HELLEBORE Major AMERICAN MISTLETOE Major GRAPEFRUIT Major ST. JOHN'S WORT Major TYRAMINE Major ACACIA RIGIDULA Moderate ADRAFINIL Moderate +219 more
Every supplement checked against Nimodipine — ranked by severity The full interaction hub: 6 major · 180 moderate · 41 minor · every one linked to its full report. Check Nimodipine against your exact supplements

Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.

1

Nutrient depletion considerations

Nimodipine has been associated with lower levels of 1 nutrient in the clinical literature. This does not mean a deficiency will occur — it means these may be worth discussing with your pharmacist or healthcare provider, especially with long-term use.

COENZYME Q10 Insufficient Evidence
See the full Nimodipine nutrient depletion report

Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — not medical advice. Do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.

Nimodipine: pharmacist answers to common questions

Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Nimodipine — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.

What exactly is nimodipine being used for in my (or my family member's) care?

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Nimodipine is given specifically after a subarachnoid hemorrhage — that's when an aneurysm in the brain ruptures and bleeds into the space around the brain. After that kind of bleed, the brain's arteries can tighten up (a process called vasospasm), which can cut off blood flow and cause additional brain damage. Nimodipine helps reduce those complications. It's given for 21 days straight to give the brain its best chance of recovery.

Why does it have to be taken every 4 hours? That's a lot.

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It's a lot, yes — and there's a real pharmacological reason. Nimodipine is eliminated from the body relatively quickly, so blood levels drop fast between doses. Taking it every 4 hours keeps a steady, effective amount in the bloodstream and brain around the clock. Sticking to the schedule as closely as possible throughout the full 21 days is really important for it to work.

Can it cause low blood pressure? What should I watch for?

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Yes, lowering blood pressure is one of the most common side effects — it happened in about 5% of patients in clinical studies. Signs to watch for include feeling lightheaded, dizzy, faint, or unusually weak. Blood pressure should be monitored during treatment. If you notice these symptoms, let the care team know right away — they may need to adjust the plan.

I heard you absolutely cannot inject this medication. Why is that so serious?

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This is one of the most critical safety warnings in all of pharmacy. Nimodipine capsules contain a liquid inside, and there have been tragic cases where that liquid was accidentally drawn up and given by IV instead of through a feeding tube. When that happens, it can cause cardiac arrest, severe blood pressure collapse, and death. Nimodipine must always be taken by mouth or through an appropriate enteral feeding tube — never by injection of any kind. Hospital teams take specific precautions to prevent this error.

Are there medications or foods I need to avoid while taking nimodipine?

▾
Yes, and this is important. Grapefruit juice should be completely avoided — it can increase nimodipine levels in your blood in an unpredictable way. Certain prescription medications are also a concern: some antibiotics (like clarithromycin), antifungals (like ketoconazole), HIV medications, and some antidepressants can cause nimodipine to build up to dangerous levels, increasing the risk of a serious drop in blood pressure. On the flip side, medications like rifampin or anti-seizure drugs (phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital) and St. John's wort can make nimodipine less effective. Make sure every provider involved in care knows about all medications being taken.

Is nimodipine safe if the patient has liver disease or is elderly?

▾
Both of these groups need extra care. Patients with cirrhosis (severe liver scarring) process nimodipine more slowly, so it can build up to much higher levels in the blood — increasing the risk of side effects like low blood pressure. The dose is typically reduced in these patients, and blood pressure and pulse are monitored closely. Elderly patients also tend to have higher drug levels compared to younger adults. In both cases, the prescriber will factor this in and adjust the plan accordingly.

Is Nimodipine available over the counter?

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No. Nimodipine is a prescription medicine: every Nimodipine product listed with the FDA is prescription only, so it is not sold over the counter. Your prescriber decides whether it is appropriate for you, and your pharmacist dispenses it.

When was Nimodipine first available?

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The earliest FDA record we hold for Nimodipine is from 1988: its first approval in Drugs@FDA or its earliest product listing in the NDC Directory, whichever is older. Many older medicines were in use before their first formal FDA approval, so this is the earliest date on record, not necessarily when Nimodipine was first used.

Who makes Nimodipine?

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4 companies currently list Nimodipine products in the FDA's NDC Directory, including Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bionpharma Inc., Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. That count includes repackagers and distributors as well as manufacturers (companies that sell only the raw ingredient are not counted), so fewer companies actually make it; the label on your bottle names the one that supplied yours.

Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

More about Nimodipine on HelloPharmacist

📊Nimodipine supplement interactions227 checked — ranked by severity 🌿Drug & Supplement CheckerNimodipine vs. vitamins & herbs 💬Ask a PharmacistFree answer, usually < 24h 🔎NDC & pricing lookupFind Nimodipine NDCs & costs 🅰️Browse Drugs A–ZLook up any medication
Detailed data & references for Nimodipine Forms & strengths, pricing, billing codes, manufacturers, safety reports and sourcing — the data behind the page. Most people can stop here. Each section below opens on a tap.

Nimodipine forms and strengths (how it comes)

Nimodipine is available in 2 forms. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.

Capsule

By mouth
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Nimodipine capsules are used to reduce the incidence and severity of neurological deficits after subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured intracranial berry aneurysm
Important instructions
  • Nimodipine capsules are taken orally every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days — swallow whole with liquid
  • Nimodipine capsules should be taken at least one hour before or two hours after meals; avoid grapefruit juice
  • Nimodipine capsule therapy should begin as soon as possible, within 96 hours of the hemorrhage
  • If a nimodipine capsule cannot be swallowed, the liquid inside may be carefully extracted and given via nasogastric or PEG tube — NEVER by IV; use only an oral or enteral syringe labeled 'Not for IV Use,' and flush with 30 mL normal saline
Available strengths 1 strength
30 mg
8 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Oral solution

By mouth
Brands Nymalize
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Nymalize oral solution is indicated to improve neurological outcome by reducing ischemic deficits in adult patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured intracranial berry aneurysm
  • Nimodipine oral solution is indicated for the same use: reducing the incidence and severity of neurological deficits after subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured intracranial berry aneurysm
Important instructions
  • Nymalize and Nimodipine oral solution must be given only by mouth or via a nasogastric or gastric tube — never intravenously or by any other injection route
  • Nymalize and Nimodipine oral solution are given every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days, one hour before or two hours after a meal
  • Nymalize and Nimodipine oral solution therapy should begin within 96 hours of the onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • When Nymalize or Nimodipine oral solution is given via nasogastric or gastric tube, flush the tube with saline solution after each dose to clear remaining contents into the stomach — use only the supplied or appropriate oral syringe
Available strengths 3 strengths
30 mg/5 mL 60 mg/10 mL 60 mg/20 mL
7 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Nimodipine on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands

How Nimodipine appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.

4 companies list 5 Nimodipine product records with the FDA, mostly as capsule, oral solution; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1988. Brand names on the directory include Nymalize, Nimotop; the rest are generics.

2
Dose forms ⓘ
4
Labelers (makers, repackagers, distributors)
2
Brand names
5
FDA-listed product records ⓘ
1988
Earliest FDA record ⓘ

FDA-listed product records by dose form (tablet variants merged) — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (7) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.

Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.40%
Bionpharma Inc.20%
Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc.20%
Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc.20%

Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

How widely Nimodipine is used (Medicaid data)

A general measure of how commonly Nimodipine is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.

Think of this as a proxy for how widely Nimodipine is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.

320
Medicaid prescriptions filled (Q1–Q4 2025)
$52,398 gross Medicaid reimbursement (before mandatory rebates — net cost is lower)

How commonly is Nimodipine prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Nimodipine ranks #1,415 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 12% of them.

Where Nimodipine ranks among the drugs we measure · Q1–Q4 2025 · neighbors ±5
Total prescriptions — #1,415 of 1,601
#1,410 Axatilimab-Csfr 333 Rx #1,411 Besifloxacin Ophthalmi... 330 Rx #1,412 Temozolomide Injection 330 Rx #1,413 Calcium Carbonate / Fa... 330 Rx #1,414 Fruquintinib 323 Rx #1,415 Nimodipine 320 Rx #1,416 Ripretinib 316 Rx #1,417 Levoketoconazole 316 Rx #1,418 Aspirin and Extended-R... 313 Rx #1,419 Gilteritinib 302 Rx #1,420 Crofelemer 301 Rx

Utilization by Nimodipine product

Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.

nimodipine 30 MG Oral Capsule

320 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 100% of Nimodipine prescriptions shown $52,398 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $164 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 4 of 19 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 198037

Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.

Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Nimodipine, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 4 of 19 listed Nimodipine NDCs with Medicaid activity.

Compare Nimodipine products

A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Nimodipine — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)

Strength Route Manufacturer / Labeler Category ⓘ Details
💊Capsule
30 mg Oral Bionpharma Inc. ANDA View NDC →
30 mg Oral Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc. ANDA View NDC →
💊Oral solution
30 mg/5 mL Oral Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. NDA View NDC →
60 mg/10 mL Oral Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. NDA View NDC →
60 mg/20 mL Oral Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ANDA View NDC →

Showing 5 of 5 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 5 Nimodipine NDCs →

Nimodipine recall history

A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.

The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Nimodipine recalls since July 2021.

✅No Nimodipine recalls on record since July 2021

Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Sep 24, 2026.

RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength

This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.

Ingredient (IN) Nimodipine RxCUI 7426 4 dose forms · 5 strengths
  1. Dose form (SCDF) Injectable Solution RxCUI 375184 No current FDA listing
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 0.2 MG/ML RxCUI 199491
  2. Dose form (SCDF) Oral Capsule RxCUI 373087 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 30 MG RxCUI 198037
  3. Dose form (SCDF) Oral Solution RxCUI 373088 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 3 MG/ML RxCUI 1423767 6 MG/ML RxCUI 2361311
  4. Dose form (SCDF) Oral Tablet RxCUI 373089 No current FDA listing
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 30 MG RxCUI 199783

Look up RxCUI 7426 in the RxCUI Atlas →

RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.

💵 What Nimodipine costs pharmacies (NADAC benchmark)

The national average invoice price pharmacies pay for the drug itself, from CMS's NADAC survey (data as of Sep 30, 2026). This is a supply-cost benchmark — not a retail price and not what you'd pay at the counter.

FormStrengthPharmacy acquisition benchmark
Capsule, Liquid Filled · Oral 30 mg $1.37 per capsule NDC details & price history
Why show this? Your out-of-pocket cost depends on insurance, pharmacy markup, and discounts — but the acquisition benchmark tells you whether the medication itself is inexpensive or costly, which strengths cost more per dose, and whether a cash-price quote is in a reasonable range. Each row links to the NDC-level record with its full price history.

Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), a survey of retail pharmacy invoice prices. Benchmarks shown are the range across package sizes of a representative product for each form and strength — other manufacturers' products may differ.

Nimodipine brand names

Nimodipine is sold under 2 brand names in the FDA directory — Nymalize, Nimotop. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.

Nymalize Nimotop

Who makes Nimodipine: manufacturers and labelers

4 companies list Nimodipine products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bionpharma Inc., Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.

Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2 Bionpharma Inc. 1 Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 1 Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc. 1

Nimodipine drug class (RxNorm)

Nimodipine belongs to the Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker class.

Pharmacologic class Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker
Drug family (ATC) Dihydropyridine derivatives
How it works Calcium Channel Antagonists

Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.

Sources for this Nimodipine page

Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.

📄
FDA-filed drug labels (SPL) Uses, dosing, warnings & side effects from SPL records retrieved through openFDA; the linked representative set can be verified on DailyMed. ✓ Linked label effective Aug 30, 2024
🏭
Forms, brands & labelersAggregated from ingredient-matched FDA National Drug Code Directory product records for Nimodipine.
📈
Real-world reportsThe FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), served through openFDA.
🚨
Recalls & shortagesopenFDA drug-enforcement reports and the FDA drug-shortage database.
🧾 Clinical label set — FDA-filed SPL labels retained for Nimodipine after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching
Clinical labels in scope
5
Finished products in the current FDA directory
5
Companies listing them (makers, repackagers, distributors)
4
FDA labeler codes behind them ⓘ
4
Linked representative label ⓘ
Arbor Pharmaceuticals
Linked label effective
Aug 30, 2024
Composite sections available
25
Linked SPL Set ID
e660fa26-b5c4-4d6d-8887-9e22b6666a10
Linked SPL Document ID
217909ac-1821-85a8-e063-6294a90a9e0c
Open the linked representative label on DailyMed ↗

How this page is built

HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Arbor Pharmaceuticals is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →