What Is Amlodipine?

The uses, benefits, side effects, and potential medication interactions associated with amlodipine are discussed below.

How It Works

Like other calcium channel blockers, amlodipine reduces the rate at which calcium enters the heart and the walls of the blood vessels. When calcium enters these areas at a slower rate, the blood vessels can relax and widen, and blood circulation is improved. The heart can pump more easily, and blood pressure is reduced. Amlodipine is a specific type of calcium channel blocker known as a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. While non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers may slow down a patient's heart rate, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine are not associated with this change. This feature may make amlodipine a more appropriate choice for patients who have certain cardiovascular conditions that cause heart rate changes.

Uncover the uses for amlodipine next.

Uses For Amlodipine

Amlodipine is approved for use in the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension), chest pain (angina pectoris), and coronary artery disease. The medication can also be used to treat high blood pressure in pediatric patients as long as they are at least six years old. When used to treat angina pectoris, the medication reduces a patient's risk of needing hospitalization or surgery for this condition. It is also associated with a reduction in the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In addition to its approved uses, amlodipine might be prescribed 'off-label' to help with symptom management for migraines, cluster headaches, and Raynaud's disease. Some doctors may choose to prescribe it as part of a treatment plan for congestive heart failure as well. If a medication is to be used 'off-label,' patients should always check with their doctor about all possible medication options before choosing an 'off-label' prescription.

Discover the potential side effects of amlodipine next.

Potential Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effect associated with amlodipine is feeling tired, and some patients have experienced extreme sleepiness. Other frequently reported side effects include nausea, dizziness, facial flushing, stomach pain, and swelling of the legs or ankles. Abnormal muscle movements and tremors have occurred as well, and some individuals have noticed an abnormally fast heart rate or irregular heartbeat. These effects may resolve on their own within a few days to two weeks, and patients should let their doctor know if any of these side effects persist.

Low blood pressure is one of the potentially serious side effects of this medication, and it could cause lightheadedness, severe dizziness, or fainting. Some patients experience an increase in their chest pain when they first start taking amlodipine or when their dose is increased, and there is a risk of having a heart attack as well. If the patient has shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, nausea, lightheadedness, fatigue, or cold sweats while taking amlodipine, they should obtain emergency medical assistance right away. Patients who believe they may have low blood pressure should also seek emergency care.

Get familiar with the precautions to remember when taking amlodipine next.

Precautions To Remember

Before prescribing amlodipine, the physician will need to know if the patient currently has or has ever had liver disease or any other type of liver issue. The liver is responsible for processing this medication, and it could remain in the body for an extended period in patients with pre-existing liver conditions. Since this could lead to more side effects for the patient, doctors generally prescribe much lower doses of amlodipine for patients with liver concerns. Doctors will also need to know if the patient has congestive heart failure or a heart valve issue called aortic stenosis. These patients may not be able to take amlodipine safely, and an alternative drug might be prescribed instead.

Patients should always let their doctors know if they are pregnant or breastfeeding. Currently, it is not known whether amlodipine is harmful to an unborn baby. Patients who have high blood pressure during pregnancy may still be prescribed amlodipine to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes or eclampsia, both of which could cause potentially serious complications with the pregnancy. Amlodipine is capable of passing into breastmilk, but its potential effects on the baby are unknown. All patients taking amlodipine should avoid alcohol consumption during their treatment, as alcohol increases the side effects and could reduce blood pressure to levels that are too low. To reduce the risk of dizziness, fainting, and falls while on this medication, patients need to get up slowly from sitting or lying positions. Missed doses can be taken as soon as the patient remembers, but if the dose is more than twelve hours late, it should be skipped.

Read about the potential medication interactions next.

Potential Medication Interactions

Amlodipine is known to interact with other heart medications, including diltiazem. Taking both of these medications could increase the amount of amlodipine in the body, leading to an increase in the potential for side effects. Amlodipine also interacts with antifungal medications such as voriconazole and ketoconazole, and with clarithromycin, an antibiotic. If amlodipine is taken with a cholesterol medication called simvastatin, this might increase the level of simvastatin in the body and produce more side effects. In particular, using amlodipine with medications for erection issues, including sildenafil and avanafil, could increase the patient's risk of developing dangerously low blood pressure. Patients should always let their doctors know about all of the medications and supplements they use to prevent drug interactions.