<p>Nifedipine, or BAY a 1040, is a first generation dihydropyridine L-type calcium channel blocker, similar to <a href="https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00622">nicardipine</a>.<sup class="text-reference-group"><a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="Chung M, Reitberg DP, Gaffney M, Singleton W: Clinical pharmacokinetics of nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system. A controlled-release formulation of nifedipine. Am J Med. 1987 Dec 21;83(6B):10-4. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(87)90630-9. (PubMed ID 3503594)" href="#reference-A190210">3</a>,<a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="Wang AL, Iadecola C, Wang G: New generations of dihydropyridines for treatment of hypertension. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2017 Jan;14(1):67-72. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.01.006. (PubMed ID 28270844)" href="#reference-A190273">10</a>,<a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="Godfraind T: Discovery and Development of Calcium Channel Blockers. Front Pharmacol. 2017 May 29;8:286. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00286. eCollection 2017. (PubMed ID 28611661)" href="#reference-A175390">11</a>,<a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="FDA Approved Drug Products: Procardia Nifedipine Oral Capsules" href="#reference-L11383">13</a></sup> Nifedipine was developed by Bayer and first described in the literature, along with other dihydropyridines, in 1972.<sup class="text-reference-group"><a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="Godfraind T: Discovery and Development of Calcium Channel Blockers. Front Pharmacol. 2017 May 29;8:286. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00286. eCollection 2017. (PubMed ID 28611661)" href="#reference-A175390">11</a>,<a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="Vater W, Kroneberg G, Hoffmeister F, Saller H, Meng K, Oberdorf A, Puls W, Schlossmann K, Stoepel K: [Pharmacology of 4-(2'-nitrophenyl)-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid dimethyl ester (Nifedipine, BAY a 1040)]. Arzneimittelforschung. 1972 Jan;22(1):1-14. (PubMed ID 4622472)" href="#reference-A190276">12</a></sup> Since nifedipine's development, second and third generation dihydropyridines have been developed with slower onsets and longer durations of action.<sup class="text-reference-group"><a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="Wang AL, Iadecola C, Wang G: New generations of dihydropyridines for treatment of hypertension. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2017 Jan;14(1):67-72. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.01.006. (PubMed ID 28270844)" href="#reference-A190273">10</a></sup> The most popular of the third generation dihydropyridines is <a href="https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00381">amlodipine</a>.<sup class="text-reference-group"><a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="Wang AL, Iadecola C, Wang G: New generations of dihydropyridines for treatment of hypertension. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2017 Jan;14(1):67-72. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.01.006. (PubMed ID 28270844)" href="#reference-A190273">10</a></sup></p><p>Nifedipine was granted FDA approval on 31 December 1981.<sup class="text-reference-group"><a class="reference-popover-link" data-content="FDA Approved Drug Products: Procardia Nifedipine Oral Capsules" href="#reference-L11383">13</a></sup></p>