What is amlodipine?

• Amlodipine is in a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers. Amlodipine relaxes (widens) the blood vessels (veins and arteries), making it easier for the heart to pump and reducing its workload.
• Amlodipine is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and to treat angina (chest pain).
• Amlodipine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about amlodipine?

• Do not stop taking amlodipine without first talking to your doctor, even if you begin to feel better. If you stop taking the medication, your condition could become worse.

What should I discuss with my doctor before taking amlodipine?

• Before taking amlodipine, tell your doctor if you have
  • liver disease; or
  • another disease of the heart or blood vessels such as sick sinus syndrome, aortic stenosis, heart failure, low blood pressure, or coronary artery disease.
• You may not be able to take amlodipine, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
• Amlodipine is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether amlodipine will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
• It is not known whether amlodipine passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
• If you are over 65 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from amlodipine. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of this medication.

How should I take amlodipine?

• Take amlodipine exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water.
• Do not stop taking amlodipine without first talking to your doctor, even if you begin to feel better. If you stop taking the medication, your condition could become worse.
• Store amlodipine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

What happens if I overdose?

• Seek emergency medical attention.
• Symptoms of an amlodipine overdose include dizziness, weakness, chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, unusually fast or slow heartbeat, coma, slurred speech, and confusion.

What should I avoid while taking amlodipine?

• Follow any recommendations your doctor makes about diet or exercise.
• Use caution when you stand or sit up from a lying position, especially if you wake up during the night. You may become dizzy when changing positions.
• Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may further lower blood pressure and increase drowsiness or dizziness while taking amlodipine.

What are the possible side effects of amlodipine?

• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking amlodipine and contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment:
  • an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
  • unusually fast or slow heartbeat;
  • chest pain;
  • severe dizziness or fainting;
  • psychosis;
  • jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
  • swelling of the legs or ankles.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take amlodipine and talk to your doctor if you experience
  • fatigue or tiredness;
  • headache;
  • insomnia;
  • vivid or abnormal dreams;
  • flushing;
  • abdominal pain;
  • nausea, diarrhea, or constipation; or
  • increased or difficult urination.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What drug(s) may interact with amlodipine?

• antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen)
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital
• bosentan
• grapefruit juice
• herbal or dietary supplements such as ginger, gingko biloba, ginseng, hawthorn, ma huang (ephedra), melatonin, St. John's wort, went yeast
• imatinib, STI-571
• local anesthetics or general anesthetics
• medicines for fungal infections (fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole)
• medicines for high blood pressure
• medicines for HIV infection or AIDS
• medicines for prostate problems
• medicines for seizures (carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, zonisamide)
• rifampin, rifapentine, or rifabutin
• some antibiotics (clarithromycin, erythromycin, telithromycin, troleandomycin)
• some medicines for heart-rhythm problems (amiodarone, diltiazem, verapamil)
• some medicines for depression or mental problems (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, nefazodone)
• water pills (diuretics)
• yohimbine
• zafirlukast
• zileuton

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts and is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. Calcium is essential for healthy bones. It is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, nervous system maintenance, and normal blood clotting. Food sources of calcium include dairy foods, some leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and collards, canned salmon, clams, oysters, calcium-fortified foods, and tofu. According to the National Academy of Sciences, adequate intake of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day (four glasses of milk) for men and women 51 and older, 1,000 milligrams a day for adults 19 through 50, and 1,300 milligrams a day for children 9 through 18. The upper limit for calcium intake is 2.5 grams daily.

Cavities: Holes in the two outer layers of a tooth called the enamel and the dentin. The enamel is the outermost white hard surface and the dentin is the yellow layer just beneath enamel. Both layers serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the pulp, where blood vessels and nerves reside. Small cavities may not cause pain, and may be unnoticed by the patient. Larger cavities can collect food, and the inner pulp of the affected tooth can become irritated by bacterial toxins, foods that are cold, hot, sour, or sweet - causing toothache.

Naturopathy: A system of therapy based on preventative care, and on the use of heat, water, light, air, and massage as primary therapies for disease. Some naturopaths use no medications, either pharmaceutical or herbal. Some recommend herbal remedies only. A few who are licensed to prescribe may recommend pharmaceuticals in those cases where they feel their use is warranted.

Naturopathy is an American healthcare profession. It was founded in the US as a formal healthcare system at the turn of the 20th century by medical practitioners from various natural therapeutic disciplines. By the early 1900s, more than 20 naturopathic medical schools existed, and naturopathic physicians were licensed in most States. Today there are more than 1,000 licensed naturopathic doctors in the US.

As practiced today, naturopathic medicine integrates traditional natural therapeutics -- including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional oriental medicine, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulative therapy -- with modern scientific medical diagnostic science and standards of care. The medical research base of naturopathic practice consists of empirical documentation of treatments using case history observations, medical records, and summaries of practitioners' clinical experiences.

At present, the two accredited naturopathic medical schools in the US have active research departments. Naturopathic researchers have investigated the pharmacology and physiological effects of nutritional and natural therapeutic agents, and naturopathic physicians have been active in the investigation of new homeopathic remedies and in the natural treatment of women's health problems. The most recently completed naturopathic study in women's health tested the clinical and endocrine effects of a botanical formula as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. It's measurement is recorded by two numbers. The first (systolic pressure) is measured after the heart contracts and is highest. The second (diastolic pressure) is measured before the heart contracts and lowest. A blood pressure cuff is used to measure the pressure. Elevation of blood pressure is called "hypertension".

Brain: That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). The brain functions as the primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has two (right and left) halves called "hemispheres."

Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.

Doctor: In a medical context, any medical professional with an MD, a PhD, or any other doctoral degree. The term doctor is quite nonspecific. A doctor may, for example, be a physician, psychologist, biomedical scientist, dentist, or veterinarian. In a nonmedical context, a professor of history might be addressed as doctor, an eminent theologian might be named a doctor of a church, and a person awarded an honorary doctorate by a college or university might also be called a doctor.

The word "doctor" comes from the Latin "docere" meaning to teach. A doctor was a teacher, especially a learned or authoritative one.