Amlodipine

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Amlodipine is a long-acting antihypertensive drug from the group of calcium channel blockers. It is used for high blood pressure, certain cases of angina pectoris, and coronary artery disease. Amlodipine decreases the heart's need for oxygen and widens the arteries. This lowers blood pressure. Read more about amlodipine - dosage, side effects, instructions for use here.

This is how amlodipine works

Amlodipine has a vasodilating effect and thus lowers blood pressure. It is one of the so-called calcium channel blockers (calcium antagonists):

Like other representatives of this group of active ingredients, amlodipine inhibits certain calcium channels and thus prevents the influx of calcium into cardiac muscle cells and into smooth vascular muscle cells. On the one hand, this reduces the heart's need for oxygen, and on the other hand, the vessel walls relax. The arteries and arterioles (smallest arteries) widen, which causes blood pressure to drop.

The antihypertensive effect of amlodipine starts 30 to 50 minutes after ingestion and lasts for about 24 hours. The liver takes care of the breakdown of the active ingredient, the kidneys take over the excretion.

Amlodipine has a long half-life: it takes 35 to 50 hours for half of the absorbed active substance to be excreted (elimination half-life).

When is amlodipine used?

The areas of application (indications) of amlodipine are:

  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • chronic stable angina pectoris (heart tightness)
  • vasospastic angina pectoris, also called Prinzmetal's angina (special form of the heart constriction, in which the temporary contraction of the coronary arteries leads to a reduced blood flow to the heart muscles)

This is how amlodipine is used

The antihypertensive drug is taken orally, mainly as a tablet. The amlodipine active ingredient is contained there as a salt, for example as amlodipine besylate or amlodipine mesilate. Because the active ingredient's breakdown and excretion take so long (see above), it is enough to take it once a day.

What are the side effects of amlodipine?

Possible side effects of amlodipine include drowsiness, tiredness, dizziness and headache (especially at the start of treatment).

By widening the blood vessels, more fluid can pass from the vessels into the surrounding tissue. This can lead to water retention (edema) in the arms and legs.

Other possible side effects of amlodipine are, for example, a racing heart (tachycardia), palpitations and an aggravation of existing angina pectoris symptoms. Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can also be adverse effects of the treatment.

In the skin area, the antihypertensive agent can cause redness, rashes, discoloration, itching and hair loss, among other things. Some patients develop joint and muscle pain, cramps, urination problems, increased sweating, and difficulty breathing (dyspnoea) during treatment.

Sleep disorders, mood swings, taste and visual disorders, weight changes, tremors and abnormal sensations (paresthesia) are also possible.

What should be considered when taking amlodipine?

Contraindications

Amlodipine must not be used in the following cases (contraindications):

  • Existing hypersensitivity to the group of substances called dihydropyridines, which also includes amlodipine
  • Cardiovascular shock
  • severe narrowing of the aorta (aortic stenosis)
  • unstable angina pectoris
  • acute heart attack

In the case of acute heart failure (heart failure), the use of the antihypertensive agent is not recommended.

Amlodipine should be used with caution in patients with kidney disease who are dependent on dialysis.

Interactions

Since amlodipine is mainly broken down by a specific enzyme system in the liver (CYP3A4), there may be interactions with other drugs that inhibit or activate this enzyme system over the long term. These include, for example, phenytoin and carbamazepine (anti-epilepsy agents), rifampicin (anti-tuberculosis antibiotics), St. John's wort extracts (anti-depressive), ritonavir (anti-HIV infection), voriconazole (anti-fungal anti-fungal) and clarithromycin (anti-bacterial).

With the simultaneous use of certain agents for depression (tricyclic antidepressants), the antihypertensive effect is increased. The same applies to the simultaneous use of nitrates (agents used to treat angina pectoris).

The combination with cardiovascular agents from the group of beta blockers increases the symptoms of the disease in patients with cardiac insufficiency.

To be on the safe side, inform your doctor or pharmacist if you would like to take other drugs (including non-prescription drugs) in addition to amlodipine.

Children and adolescents

Amlodipine is approved for the treatment of high blood pressure in patients 6 years and older.

pregnancy and breast feeding period

The use of amlodipine during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been adequately studied and should therefore be used with caution. If possible, better tried alternatives such as alpha-methyldopa or metoprolol should be used.

If better investigated drugs are out of the question, continuation of therapy with amlodipine is acceptable.

This is how you get drugs with the active ingredient amlodipine

Amlodipine is a prescription drug in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and is only available in pharmacies.

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