Ipin

Hypertension: Usual dose is 5 mg once daily. The maximum dose is 10 mg once daily. Elderly patients with hepatic insufficiency may be started on 2.5 mg once daily; this dose may also be used when adding Amlodipine to other antihypertensive therapy.

Angina (Chronic stable or Vasospastic): 5 to 10 mg, using the lower dose for elderly and in patients with hepatic insufficiency. Most patients require 10 mg.

Administrations: May be taken without regard to meals.

The most common adverse effects of amlodipine are associated with vasodilatory action, such as dizziness, flushing, headache, hypotension and peripheral edema. Gastrointestinal disturbances, increased micturition frequency, lethargy, eye pain and mental depression may also occur. A paradoxical increase in ischaemic chest pain may occur at the start of the treatment and in a few patients excessive fall in blood pressure has led to cerebral or myocardial ischaemia or transient blindness. Rashes, fever and abnormalities in liver function due to hypersensitivity reaction of Amlodipine may occur.

Symptoms: Available data suggest that large overdosage could result in excessive peripheral vasodilatation and possibly reflex tachycardia. Marked and probably prolonged systemic hypotension up to and including shock with fatal outcome have been reported.

Management: Clinically significant hypotension due to amlodipine overdosage calls for active cardiovascular support including frequent monitoring of cardiac and respiratory function, elevation of extremities, and attention to circulating fluid volume and urine output. 

A vasoconstrictor may be helpful in restoring vascular tone and blood pressure, provided that there is no contraindication to its use. Intravenous calcium gluconate may be beneficial in reversing the effects of calcium channel blockade. Gastric lavage may be worthwhile in some cases. In healthy volunteers the use of charcoal up to 2 hours after administration of amlodipine 10 mg has been shown to reduce the absorption rate of amlodipine. Since amlodipine is highly protein-bound, dialysis is not likely to be of benefit.

Amlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker, with a long duration of action, used for the treatment of hypertension and angina pectoris. Amlodipine influences the myocardial cells, the cells within the specialized conducting system of the heart, and the cells of vascular smooth muscle. Administration of Amlodipine results primarily in vasodilation, with reduced peripheral resistance, blood pressure and afterload, increased coronary blood flow and a reflex increase in coronary heart rate. This in turn results in an increase in myocardial oxygen supply and cardiac output.

Precaution should be taken in patients with hepatic impairment and during pregnancy and breast feeding.

Calcium-channel blockers