Amlodipine is used alone or together with other medicines to treat angina (chest pain) and high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure adds to the workload of the heart and arteries. If it continues for a long time, the heart and arteries may not function properly. This can damage the blood vessels of the brain, heart, and kidneys, resulting in a stroke, heart failure, or kidney failure. High blood pressure may also increase the risk of heart attacks. These problems may be less likely to occur if blood pressure is controlled.
Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker. It affects the movement of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels. As a result, Amlodipine relaxes blood vessels and increases the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart while reducing its workload.
Amlodipine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
Amlodipine indications
An indication is a term used for the list of condition or symptom or illness for which the medicine is prescribed or used by the patient. For example, acetaminophen or paracetamol is used for fever by the patient, or the doctor prescribes it for a headache or body pains. Now fever, headache and body pains are the indications of paracetamol. A patient should be aware of the indications of medications used for common conditions because they can be taken over the counter in the pharmacy meaning without prescription by the Physician.
sponsored
Hypertension
Amlodipine tablets, USP are indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes including Amlodipine.
Control of high blood pressure should be part of comprehensive cardiovascular risk management, including, as appropriate, lipid control, diabetes management, antithrombotic therapy, smoking cessation, exercise, and limited sodium intake. Many patients will require more than one drug to achieve blood pressure goals. For specific advice on goals and management, see published guidelines, such as those of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program's Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC).
Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction, and not some other pharmacologic property of the drugs, that is largely responsible for those benefits. The largest and most consistent cardiovascular outcome benefit has been a reduction in the risk of stroke, but reductions in myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality also have been seen regularly.
Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure causes increased cardiovascular risk, and the absolute risk increase per mmHg is greater at higher blood pressures, so that even modest reductions of severe hypertension can provide substantial benefit. Relative risk reduction from blood pressure reduction is similar across populations with varying absolute risk, so the absolute benefit is greater in patients who are at higher risk independent of their hypertension (for example, patients with diabetes or hyperlipidemia), and such patients would be expected to benefit from more aggressive treatment to a lower blood pressure goal.
Some antihypertensive drugs have smaller blood pressure effects (as monotherapy) in black patients, and many antihypertensive drugs have additional approved indications and effects (e.g., on angina, heart failure, or diabetic kidney disease). These considerations may guide selection of therapy.
Amlodipine may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
Chronic Stable Angina
Amlodipine tablets, USP are indicated for the symptomatic treatment of chronic stable angina. Amlodipine tablets, USP may be used alone or in combination with other antianginal agents.
Vasospastic Angina (Prinzmetal's or Variant Angina)
Amlodipine tablets, USP are indicated for the treatment of confirmed or suspected vasospastic angina. Amlodipine tablets, USP may be used as monotherapy or in combination with other antianginal agents.
Angiographically Documented CAD
In patients with recently documented CAD by angiography and without heart failure or an ejection fraction < 40%, Amlodipine tablets, USP are indicated to reduce the risk of hospitalization for angina and to reduce the risk of a coronary revascularization procedure.
How should I use Amlodipine?
Use Amlodipine as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
An extra patient leaflet is available with Amlodipine. Talk to your pharmacist if you have questions about this information.
Take Amlodipine by mouth with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.
Taking Amlodipine at the same time each day will help you remember to take it.
Continue to take Amlodipine even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.
If you miss a dose of Amlodipine, take it as soon as possible. If it has been more than 12 hours since you missed your last dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Amlodipine.
Uses of Amlodipine in details
There are specific as well as general uses of a drug or medicine. A medicine can be used to prevent a disease, treat a disease over a period or cure a disease. It can also be used to treat the particular symptom of the disease. The drug use depends on the form the patient takes it. It may be more useful in injection form or sometimes in tablet form. The drug can be used for a single troubling symptom or a life-threatening condition. While some medications can be stopped after few days, some drugs need to be continued for prolonged period to get the benefit from it.
sponsored
Use: Labeled Indications
Angina: Treatment of symptomatic chronic stable angina; treatment of confirmed or suspected vasospastic angina (previously referred to as Prinzmetal or variant angina). May be used alone or in combination with other antianginal agents.
Hypertension: Management of hypertension in adults and children ≥6 years of age.
Off Label Uses
Raynaud phenomenon
Based on the European Society for Vascular Medicine guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Raynaud phenomenon, Amlodipine is a reasonable alternative to nifedipine for the management of this condition.
Amlodipine description
Amlodipine is a long-acting 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. It acts primarily on vascular smooth muscle cells by stabilizing voltage-gated L-type calcium channels in their inactive conformation. By inhibiting the influx of calcium in smooth muscle cells, Amlodipine prevents calcium-dependent myocyte contraction and vasoconstriction. A second proposed mechanism for the drug’s vasodilatory effects involves pH-dependent inhibition of calcium influx via inhibition of smooth muscle carbonic anhydrase. Some studies have shown that Amlodipine also exerts inhibitory effects on voltage-gated N-type calcium channels. N-type calcium channels located in the central nervous system may be involved in nociceptive signaling and pain sensation. Amlodipine is used to treat hypertension and chronic stable angina.
Amlodipine dosage
sponsored
Dosage Forms
Excipient information presented when available (limited, particularly for generics); consult specific product labeling.
Note: A beta-blocker is the preferred initial therapy; if there are ongoing symptoms on beta-blocker therapy, a long acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (eg, Amlodipine) may be added; Amlodipine may also be used as an alternative therapy if there are contraindications or unacceptable adverse effects with beta-blockade (ACC/AHA [Fihn 2012]).
Oral:
5 to 10 mg once daily.
Vasospastic angina:
Note: May use alone or in combination with nitrates (ACC/AHA [Fihn 2012]).
Oral:
5 to 10 mg once daily.
Hypertension:
Note: For patients who warrant combination therapy (BP >20/10 mm Hg above goal or suboptimal response to monotherapy), may use with another appropriate agent (eg, angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor blocker [ARB], or thiazide diuretic) (ACC/AHA [Whelton 2018]). For combination therapy, some experts recommend Amlodipine plus either an ACE inhibitor or ARB (Jamerson 2008; Mann 2019).
Oral:
Initial: 2.5 to 5 mg once daily; titrate every 1 to 2 weeks as needed based on patient response; maximum: 10 mg/day (ACC/AHA [Whelton 2018]; Jamerson 2008); antihypertensive effect attenuates with higher doses and adverse effects may become more prominent (Mann 2019).
Raynaud phenomenon (off-label use):
Oral:
5 mg once daily; if needed, increase dose gradually based on patient response and tolerability, usually once every 4 weeks, but not more frequently than once every 7 to 10 days; monitor blood pressure closely with each dose increase; maximum dose: 20 mg/day (ESVM [Belch 2017]; Wigley 2020).
Dosing: Geriatric
Dosing should start at the lower end of dosing range and be titrated to response due to possible increased incidence of hepatic, renal, or cardiac impairment. Elderly patients also show decreased clearance of Amlodipine.
Children 1 to 5 years: Limited data available: Note: A population pharmacokinetic study found that children <6 years of age had weight-adjusted clearance and V of Amlodipine that were significantly greater than children ≥6 years of age. This may suggest the need for higher mg/kg/day doses in younger children (<6 years of age); however, the study included only a small number of younger children (n=11) (Flynn 2006). One retrospective pediatric study (n=55) that included only eight patients 1-6 years of age used initial doses of 0.05-0.1 mg/kg/day; doses were titrated upwards as needed; mean required dose was significantly higher in patients 1-6 years of age (0.3 ± 0.16 mg/kg/day) compared to older children (6 to 12 years: 0.16 ± 0.12 mg/kg/day; 12 to 20 years: 0.14 ± 0.1 mg/kg/day) (Flynn 2000a).
Children and Adolescents 6 to 17 years: 2.5 to 5 mg once daily; doses >5 mg daily have not been fully studied. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of Amlodipine in children (n=268; mean age: 12.1 years; range: 6 to 16 years), a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (compared to placebo) was observed in both the 2.5 mg once daily and the 5 mg once daily Amlodipine groups. The authors recommend an initial dose of 0.06 mg/kg/day with a maximum dose of 0.34 mg/kg/day (not to exceed 10 mg/day) (Flynn 2004).
Amlodipine has been safely administered with thiazide diuretics, alpha blockers, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, long-acting nitrates, sublingual nitroglycerine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and oral hypoglycemic drugs.
In vitro data from studies with human plasma indicate that Amlodipine has no effect on protein binding of the drugs tested (digoxin, phenytoin, warfarin, or indomethacin).
Simvastatin: Co-administration of multiple doses of 10 mg Amlodipine with 80 mg simvastatin resulted in a 77% increase in exposure to simvastatin compared to simvastatin alone. Limit the dose of simvastatin in patients on Amlodipine to 20 mg daily.
Grapefruit Juice: Co-administration of 240 mL grapefruit juice with a single oral dose of 10 mg Amlodipine in 20 healthy volunteers had no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of Amlodipine. The study did not allow examination of the effect of genetic polymorphism in CYP3A4, the primary enzyme responsible for metabolism of Amlodipine; therefore, administration of Amlodipine with grapefruit or grapefruit juice is not recommended as bioavailability may be increased in some patients, resulting in increased blood pressure lowering effects.
CYP3A4 Inhibitors: Co-administration of a 180 mg daily dose of diltiazem with 5 mg Amlodipine in elderly hypertensive patients (69 to 87 years of age) resulted in a 57% increase in Amlodipine systemic exposure. Co-administration of erythromycin in healthy volunteers (18 to 43 years of age) did not significantly change Amlodipine systemic exposure (22% increase in area under the concentration versus time curve [AUC]). Although the clinical relevance of these findings is uncertain, pharmacokinetic variations may be more pronounced in the elderly.
Strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, ritonavir) may increase the plasma concentrations of Amlodipine to a greater extent than diltiazem. Amlodipine should be used with caution when administered with CYP3A4 inhibitors.
Clarithromycin: Clarithromycin is an inhibitor of CYP3A4. There is an increased risk of hypotension in patients receiving clarithromycin with Amlodipine. Close observation of patients is recommended when Amlodipine is co-administered with clarithromycin.
CYP3A4 Inducers: There is no data available regarding the effect of CYP3A4 inducers on Amlodipine. Concomitant use of CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., rifampicin, hypericum perforatum) may decrease the plasma concentrations of Amlodipine. Amlodipine should be used with caution when administered with CYP3A4 inducers.
In the following studies, there were no significant changes in the pharmacokinetics of either Amlodipine or another drug within the study, when co-administered.
Special Studies: Effect of Other Agents on Amlodipine: Cimetidine: Co-administration of Amlodipine with cimetidine did not alter the pharmacokinetics of Amlodipine.
Aluminum/Magnesium (Antacid): Co-administration of aluminum/magnesium (antacid) with a single dose of Amlodipine had no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of Amlodipine.
Sildenafil: A single 100 mg dose of sildenafil in subjects with essential hypertension had no effect on the pharmacokinetic parameters of Amlodipine. When Amlodipine and sildenafil were used in combination, each agent independently exerted its own blood pressure lowering effect.
Special Studies: Effect of Amlodipine on Other Agents: Atorvastatin: Co-administration of multiple 10 mg doses of Amlodipine with 80 mg atorvastatin resulted in no significant change in the steady-state pharmacokinetic parameters of atorvastatin.
Digoxin: Co-administration of Amlodipine with digoxin did not change serum digoxin levels or digoxin renal clearance in healthy volunteers.
Ethanol (Alcohol): Single and multiple 10 mg doses of Amlodipine had no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of ethanol.
Warfarin: Co-administration of Amlodipine with warfarin did not change the warfarin prothrombin response time.
Cyclosporin: No drug interaction studies have been conducted with cyclosporin and Amlodipine in healthy volunteers or other populations, with the exception of renal transplant patients. Various studies in renal transplant patients report that co-administration of Amlodipine with cyclosporin affects the trough concentrations of cyclosporin, from no change up to an average increase of 40%. Consideration should be given for monitoring cyclosporin levels in renal transplant patients on Amlodipine.
Tacrolimus: There is a risk of increased tacrolimus blood levels when co-administered with Amlodipine. In order to avoid toxicity of tacrolimus, administration of Amlodipine in a patient treated with tacrolimus requires monitoring of tacrolimus blood levels and dose adjustment of tacrolimus when appropriate.
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Amlodipine has been evaluated for safety in more than 11,000 patients in U.S. and foreign clinical trials. In general, treatment with Amlodipine was well-tolerated at doses up to 10 mg daily. Most adverse reactions reported during therapy with Amlodipine were of mild or moderate severity. In controlled clinical trials directly comparing Amlodipine (N=1730) at doses up to 10 mg to placebo (N=1250), discontinuation of Amlodipine because of adverse reactions was required in only about 1.5% of patients and was not significantly different from placebo (about 1%). The most commonly reported side effects more frequent than placebo are reflected in the table below. The incidence (%) of side effects that occurred in a dose related manner are as follows:
Amlodipine
Placebo
N=520
2.5 mg
N=275
5 mg
N=296
10 mg
N=268
Edema
1.8
3.0
10.8
0.6
Dizziness
1.1
3.4
3.4
1.5
Flushing
0.7
1.4
2.6
0.0
Palpitation
0.7
1.4
4.5
0.6
Other adverse reactions that were not clearly dose related but were reported with an incidence greater than 1% in placebo-controlled clinical trials include the following:
Amlodipine (%)
Placebo (%)
(N=1730)
(N=1250)
Fatigue
4.5
2.8
Nausea
2.9
1.9
Abdominal Pain
1.6
0.3
Somnolence
1.4
0.6
For several adverse experiences that appear to be drug and dose related, there was a greater incidence in women than men associated with Amlodipine treatment as shown in the following table:
Amlodipine
Placebo
Male = %
Female = %
Male = %
Female = %
(N = 1218)
(N = 512)
(N = 914)
(N = 336)
Edema
5.6
14.6
1.4
5.1
Flushing
1.5
4.5
0.3
0.9
Palpitations
1.4
3.3
0.9
0.9
Somnolence
1.3
1.6
0.8
0.3
The following events occurred in <1% but >0.1% of patients in controlled clinical trials or under conditions of open trials or marketing experience where a causal relationship is uncertain; they are listed to alert the physician to a possible relationship:
1These events occurred in less than 1% in placebo-controlled trials, but the incidence of these side effects was between 1% and 2% in all multiple dose studies.
Amlodipine therapy has not been associated with clinically significant changes in routine laboratory tests. No clinically relevant changes were noted in serum potassium, serum glucose, total triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, or creatinine.
In the CAMELOT and PREVENT studies, the adverse event profile was similar to that reported previously, with the most common adverse event being peripheral edema.
Postmarketing Experience
Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
The following postmarketing event has been reported infrequently where a causal relationship is uncertain: gynecomastia. In postmarketing experience, jaundice and hepatic enzyme elevations (mostly consistent with cholestasis or hepatitis), in some cases severe enough to require hospitalization, have been reported in association with use of Amlodipine.
Postmarketing reporting has also revealed a possible association between extrapyramidal disorder and Amlodipine.
Amlodipine has been used safely in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, well-compensated congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and abnormal lipid profiles.
Hypersensitivity to Amlodipine or any component of the formulation.
Canadian labeling: Additional contraindications (not in US labeling): Hypersensitivity to other dihydropyridines; severe hypotension (systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg); breastfeeding; hereditary fructose intolerance (oral solution); hyperglycerolemia or glycerol kinase deficiency (oral solution).
Active ingredient matches for Amlodipine:
Amlodipine Besylate in Australia, Austria, Belize, Bosnia & Herzegowina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia (Hrvatska), Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Venezuela.
DailyMed. "AMOXICILLIN; CLAVULANATE POTASSIUM: DailyMed provides trustworthy information about marketed drugs in the United States. DailyMed is the official provider of FDA label information (package inserts).". https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailyme... (accessed September 17, 2018).
The results of a survey conducted on ndrugs.com for Amlodipine are given in detail below. The results of the survey conducted are based on the impressions and views of the website users and consumers taking Amlodipine. We implore you to kindly base your medical condition or therapeutic choices on the result or test conducted by a physician or licensed medical practitioners.
User reports
4 consumers reported useful
Was the Amlodipine drug useful in terms of decreasing the symptom or the disease? According to the reports released by ndrugs.com website users, the below mentioned percentages of users say the drug is useful / not useful to them in decreasing their symptoms/disease. The usefulness of the drug depends on many factors, like severity of the disease, perception of symptom, or disease by the patient, brand name used [matters only to a certain extent], other associated conditions of the patient. If the drug is not effective or useful in your case, you need to meet the doctor to get re-evaluated about your symptoms/disease, and he will prescribe an alternative drug.
Users
%
Useful
4
100.0%
1 consumer reported price estimates
Was the price you paid to purchase the drug reasonable? Did you feel it was expensive? The below mentioned numbers have been reported by ndrugs.com website users about whether the Amlodipine drug is expensive or inexpensive. There is a mixed opinion among users. The rating about the cost of the drug depends on factors like which brand drug the patient purchased, how effective it was for the price paid, the country or place the drug is marketed, and the economic condition of the patient. The users who feel the drug is expensive can look for an alternative brand drug or a generic drug to save the cost.
Users
%
Not expensive
1
100.0%
3 consumers reported time for results
To what extent do I have to use Amlodipine before I begin to see changes in my health conditions? As part of the reports released by ndrugs.com website users, it takes 1 week and a few days before you notice an improvement in your health conditions. Please note, it doesn't mean you will start to notice such health improvement in the same time frame as other users. There are many factors to consider, and we implore you to visit your doctor to know how long before you can see improvements in your health while taking Amlodipine. To get the time effectiveness of using Amlodipine drug by other patients, please click here.
Users
%
1 week
2
66.7%
3 month
1
33.3%
12 consumers reported age
Users
%
46-60
7
58.3%
> 60
3
25.0%
30-45
2
16.7%
Consumer reviews
There are no reviews yet. Be the first to write one!
