Amlodipine (Norvasc) is a Calcium Channel Blocker medication used to treat high blood pressure/ hypertension, Angina and Raynaud’s phenomenal. What are the common side effects?
Welcome back my name is lucy i’m a pharmacist and a nurse. in this video we’ll be going over a brief overview of medication amlodipine, it’s uses, dosage, and common side effect. as always, all information in this video is for informational purposes only. always seek the advice of your qualified health care provider
With any question you have regarding a medical condition. what is amlodipine? amlodipine is an antihypertensive that belongs to a group of medicine called calcium channel blockers it is best known by its brand name norvasc. depending on which country you are from, amlodipine comes in tablets and liquid form, the
Liquid form brand name is katerzia. amlodipine is used to treat high blood pressure in adults and children who are six years and greater. high blood pressure is a silent killer, there’s no symptoms you feel fine but if left untreated it can damage your blood vessels and this may lead to a stroke, heart attack, heart
Failure, kidney failure, and loss of vision. amlodipine is also used to treat angina this is pain in your it is also used to treat raynaud phenomena. this is when your fingers turn cold, pale, and numb. this can happen when it’s cold or when you are under stress. how does it work amlodipine lowers your
Blood pressure by relaxing your calcium has to do with your blood pressure, calcium is an important mineral in your body. it makes muscle contraction possible. calcium enters muscles through tiny pores on the cells, it also enters blood vessels and heart muscles. too much calcium in your blood vessel can cause
Them to narrow which restricts the blood flow. which makes pressure. calcium channel blockers reduce the amount of calcium entering the blood vessels and the heart. this leads to dilation of blood vessels and the heart becomes less restricted which in turn reduces your blood pressure. amlodipine comes in 2.5
Milligram, 5 milligrams, and 10 milligram tablets. the starting dose is 2.5 milligrams evaluate your response after two to four weeks and titrate the dose as needed to a maximum of 10 milligram once daily. it does not matter if you take it with or without food, swallow the tablet with a full glass of water. if you’re taking
The liquid formulation katerzia remember to shake the bottle before use. take it around the same time when to take it. amlodipine side effect. peripheral edema, this is the swelling of lower extremities. it is the most common side effect, patients, and it is higher in female patients. it is dose dependent
So the higher the dose the more likely peripheral edema is going to occur. ways to reduce the edema side effect is to start at a low dose of 2.5 milligram and increase gradually also walking and elevating your feet will help with edema. headache is another side occurs in about six percent of the patients. the
Headache is temporary, so the first few days of starting amlodipine or dose increase. if headache lasts longer than a week or it’s severe notify your health care provider. nausea is another side effect. it occurs in three percent of the patients. it can be accompanied by abdominal pain, patient. fatigue is another common
Side effect of amlodipine. it occurs in approximately five percent of the patients. it can be accompanied by drowsiness and feeling tired during the day, the drowsiness occurs in about two percent of the patient. flushing can occur with amlodipine use due to vasodilation. it occurs in approximately three
Percent of the patients. it commonly appears in the neck and face. it is dose dependent so the higher the dose the more likely flushing will occur. flushing is temporary and will improve within a few days of starting amlodipine or dose increase. if this happens cut down on coffee, can also sip on cold drink or splash
Your face with cold water. another side effect is heart palpitation. this occurs in less than five percent of the patients. this may feel like your heart is skipping a beat or racing. this is dose dependent, so the higher the dose the more likely palpitation will occur. skin rash and itching can also occur
With amlodipine use. it occurs in approximately one to two percent of the patients. another side effect is muscle weakness and cramping. these occurs in less than two percent of the patient. effect that can occur with amlodipine use specifically erectile dysfunction. this may occur in approximately one percent of male
Patients. be aware that erectile dysfunction can also be associated with heart diseases and cardiac issues so could go hand in hand with the condition that amlodipine is treating. amlodipine can cause hypotension, but amlodipine has gradual onset of action therefore acute hypotension upon initiation in some
Patients and affect alertness. if you have dizziness or drowsiness do not drive operate machinery until the symptoms subside. your healthcare provider can adjust your dose to help with hypotension and dizziness and also make sure you are staying hydrated because dehydration can make the dizziness worse. amlodipine
Can also cause some rare severe side effects. these include erythema multiforme. this is a severe skin rash with red raised skin areas. this skin rash appears all over the body but are more noticeable on side effect notify your health care provider immediately. amlodipine can cause heart failure this is
Because it decreases the force of output. it can cause acute kidney disease, the risk is increased with concurrent use with strong cyp3a4 inhibitors like antibiotic clarithromycin anti-fungal ketoconazole and anti-viral medication like ritonavir and darunavir. it can also edema so if you experience shortness of
Breath cause rhabdomyolysis the risk of rhabdomyolysis medications like simvastatin and atorvastatin. before you start taking amlodipine notify your healthcare provider if you have any allergic reaction or hypersensitivity to amlodipine or any component of the formulation. if the plan is for you to take
The liquid formulation katerzia, it contains polysorbate 80 and sodium benzoate. if you have heart failure since amlodipine decreases the force of contraction which lead to decreased cardiac output. patients with reduced ejection fraction should not use amlodipine. also notify your health care provider if you have
Severe liver disease this can lead to accumulation of amlodipine and hence hypotension. thank you for watching. contact your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing any side effects. also, if you have any specific questions feel free to put them in the comment section. like the video and subscribe if you found this information helpful.
Transcribed from video
How to Take Amlodipine/Norvasc | Amlodipine uses, dosages and side effects By Lucy The Pharmacist