Shortage of isradipine oral presentations

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists reports a shortage of the oral presentations of isradipine. This drug shortage arises because the Novartis plant which produced extended-release isradipine, brand name Dynacirc CR, under contract with GlaxoSmithKline was voluntarily closed after it was discovered that packages of medications sometimes contained more than one kind of capsule or tablet. The extended-release tablet is taken once daily. The immediate-release capsule, taken twice daily, is available from Watson. Isradipine is used to treat high blood pressure, and there is some evidence that it might be usable to treat Parkinson's disease.