What is the most important information I should know about amlodipine?
Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.
What is amlodipine?
Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker that dilates (widens) blood vessels and improves blood flow.
Amlodipine is used to treat chest pain (angina) and other conditions caused by coronary artery disease.
Amlodipine is also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure may lower your risk of a stroke or heart attack.
Amlodipine is for use in adults and children who are at least 6 years old.
Amlodipine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking amlodipine?
You should not take amlodipine if you are allergic to it.
To make sure amlodipine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
- liver disease; or
- a heart valve problem called aortic stenosis.
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Amlodipine can pass into breast milk, but effects on the nursing baby are not known. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
Amlodipine is not approved for use by anyone younger than 6 years old.
How should I take amlodipine?
Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
You may take amlodipine with or without food. Take the medicine at the same time each day.
Your blood pressure will need to be checked often.
Your chest pain may become worse when you first start taking amlodipine or when your dose is increased. Call your doctor if your chest pain is severe or ongoing.
If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using amlodipine even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.
Your hypertension or heart condition may be treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or stop taking any of your medications without your doctor's advice. This is especially important if you also take nitroglycerin.
Amlodipine is only part of a complete program of treatment that may also include diet, exercise, weight control, and other medications. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If you are more than 12 hours late, skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include rapid heartbeats, redness or warmth in your arms or legs, or fainting.
What should I avoid while taking amlodipine?
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
What are the possible side effects of amlodipine?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
In rare cases, when you first start taking amlodipine, your angina may get worse or you could have a heart attack. Seek emergency medical attention or call your doctor right away if you have symptoms such as: chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
- worsening chest pain;
- swelling in your feet or ankles;
- severe drowsiness; or
- a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out.
Common side effects may include:
- dizziness;
- feeling tired;
- stomach pain, nausea; or
- flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling).
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect amlodipine?
Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:
- nitroglycerin;
- simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin); or
- any other heart or blood pressure medications.
This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with amlodipine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about amlodipine.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 14.01. Revision date: 4/10/2017.
