Amlodipine Online UK

Amlodipine is a long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. It is prescribed for treating high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, and chronic stable angina pectoris.

Globally, it is one of the most widely used antihypertensive medications. It is often used alone or with other medicines that lower blood pressure.

Amlodipine works by relaxing and widening blood vessels.

It does this by blocking L-type calcium channels in the smooth muscle of blood vessel walls, which reduces the flow of calcium into these cells.

This action decreases peripheral vascular resistance, leading to lower blood pressure.

For angina, amlodipine widens the coronary arteries, improving oxygen delivery to the heart muscle and reducing the heart's workload.

The effect of amlodipine starts gradually and lasts a long time, with a plasma half-life of 35 to 50 hours.

This allows for once-daily dosing, providing smooth and sustained blood pressure control over 24 hours.

Amlodipine does not negatively affect lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, or kidney function, making it suitable for patients with other health conditions.

Take one amlodipine tablet once daily, at the same time each day, with or without food. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for your next dose; never take a double dose.

Do not stop taking amlodipine without consulting your prescriber, as your blood pressure may rise. It can take one to two weeks for the full blood-pressure-lowering effect to become apparent.

Regular blood pressure monitoring is recommended to check the treatment's effectiveness.

Amlodipine is available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg tablets. Your dose will be adjusted individually based on your blood pressure and how well you tolerate the medicine.

For hypertension and angina, the usual starting dose is 5 mg once daily.

If your blood pressure is not adequately controlled after two to four weeks on 5 mg, your prescriber may increase the dose to a maximum of 10 mg once daily.

For elderly patients, those with low body weight, or those with mild to moderate liver impairment, treatment should start with a lower dose of 2.5 mg once daily.

No dose adjustment is typically needed for kidney impairment, as amlodipine is mainly metabolised in the liver. For children aged 6-17 with hypertension, the dose is 2.5 mg to 5 mg per day.

Amlodipine is not dialysable.

Amlodipine is generally well-tolerated, but side effects can occur, especially when you first start treatment.

Very common (more than 1 in 10 people): Swelling of the ankles and feet (peripheral oedema), particularly at higher doses.

This is the most common reason for stopping the medication and is dose-dependent.

Common (1 to 10 in 100 people): Headache, dizziness, flushing (redness of the face), palpitations, abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue, and drowsiness.

These symptoms are usually mild and often improve after the first few weeks of treatment.

Uncommon (1 to 10 in 1,000 people): Mood changes, insomnia, tremor, visual disturbances, tinnitus, shortness of breath, dry mouth, changes in bowel habits, gynaecomastia (breast enlargement in men), muscle pain, joint pain, frequent urination, and weight gain.

Rare (1 to 10 in 10,000 people): Gum overgrowth (gingival hyperplasia), hepatitis (liver inflammation), jaundice, vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels), and erythema multiforme (a severe skin reaction).

Amlodipine should be used with caution in patients with heart failure, as calcium channel blockers may worsen heart function in some individuals.

Patients with severe aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) must be closely monitored. Amlodipine is metabolised by the CYP3A4 enzyme.

Concurrent use of potent CYP3A4 inhibitors (such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir) may increase amlodipine levels in the blood, potentially enhancing its effects and side effects.

Grapefruit juice may have a similar effect in some patients, so avoid consuming large quantities of grapefruit or grapefruit juice during treatment.

Always inform your prescriber of all medications you are taking to avoid potential interactions.

Be careful when standing up from a sitting or lying position, as dizziness may occur. Amlodipine is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding due to insufficient safety data.

Women planning pregnancy or who become pregnant should discuss alternative blood pressure medications with their prescriber.

Do not stop amlodipine abruptly, as your blood pressure may rise quickly; dose reduction should be gradual.

Due to amlodipine's long half-life (35 to 50 hours), side effects like ankle swelling may persist for several days after discontinuation.

Amlodipine is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to amlodipine, other dihydropyridines, or any of the medicine's excipients.

Severe allergic reactions, though rare, are an absolute contraindication to continued treatment.

The medicine must not be used if you have severe hypotension (very low blood pressure, systolic blood pressure below 90 mmHg), cardiogenic shock (a severe condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood), haemodynamically significant aortic stenosis (a severe narrowing of the aortic valve), or unstable angina pectoris (other than Prinzmetal's angina).

For patients with severe liver impairment, amlodipine clearance is significantly reduced, increasing the risk of accumulation and overdose; in such cases, treatment should begin with a minimal dose of 2.

5 mg and be slowly titrated. Amlodipine is not approved for children under 6 years of age due to a lack of sufficient clinical data. Its use is avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding.