Amlodipine

Uses of Amlodipine

Amlodipine is commonly used for the following conditions.

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Coronary artery disease, which is a type of heart disease
• Angina, which is a type of chest pain

Amlodipine relaxes your blood vessels so that blood can move through them more easily and your heart does not have to work as hard.

Precautions and Warnings

Before taking amlodipine besylate, tell your doctor if you have congestive heart failure or liver disease.

Drinking alcohol can further lower your blood pressure and may increase certain side effects of amlodipine.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using amlodipine even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Amlodipine is only part of a complete program of treatment that may also include diet, exercise, weight control, and other medications. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely.

Tell your doctor about all other heart or blood pressure medications you are taking.

Your chest pain may become worse when you first start taking amlodipine or when your dose is increased. Call your doctor if your chest pain is severe or ongoing.

You should not take amlodipine if you are allergic to it.

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• severe narrowing of a certain valve in your heart (aortic stenosis), or other heart problems;
• coronary artery disease (clogged arteries); or
• liver disease.

It is not known if amlodipine will harm an unborn baby. However, having high blood pressure during pregnancy may cause complications or medical problems in both mother and baby. The benefit of treating hypertension may outweigh any risks to the baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

Dosage

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For oral dosage forms (solution, suspension, or tablets):

• For angina (chest pain):
• Adults—5 to 10 milligrams (mg) once a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 10 mg per day.
• Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor

For high blood pressure:

• Adults—At first, 5 milligrams (mg) once a day. Some patients may be started on 2.5 mg once a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 10 mg per day.
• Children 6 to 17 years of age—2.5 to 5 mg once a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 5 mg per day.
• Children younger than 6 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Side Effects

The most common

• dizziness, drowsiness;
• swelling of your legs or ankles;
• irregular heartbeat;
• pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
• muscle stiffness;
• uncontrolled muscle movements;
• feeling tired;
• stomach pain, nausea; or
• flushing (sudden warmth, redness, or tingly feeling).