The drug amlodipine is mainly used to combat hypertension – high blood pressure. Due to its long duration of action, it can also reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular symptoms.
What is amlodipine?
The drug amlodipine is mainly used to combat hypertension – high blood pressure. Because of its low solubility in water, amlodipine is commonly administered in tablet and capsule form. It is prescribed to patients who complain of undefined high blood pressure. It should therefore not be possible to clearly analyze the causes of incorrect diet, occupational pressure situations or lack of exercise that are suspected of causing it – otherwise specific preparations for therapy would be more suitable. Amlodipine is said to achieve an average reduction in blood pressure of ten percent. The drug maintains its effect over 40 hours and thus belongs to the remedies with a comparatively high half-life. In this way, normalization of the cardiovascular system is brought about, since blood pressure now remains constant for many hours and is not subject to fluctuations. However, the prescription and dosage must be judged on a case-by-case basis. Patients who have an increased risk of myocardial infarction in addition to the symptoms mentioned above often forgo amlodipine in favor of other medications.
Pharmacologic Effect
The cause of hypertension is generally thought to be a strong presence of calcium ions in the cells of the vascular muscles. In this process, the blood vessels leading to and from the heart are usually unable to dilate and contract themselves. Thus, the vessels are very often constricted. The incoming blood flow can no longer be adequately channeled. Its pressure increases. Amlodipine is supposed to improve this condition. It accesses the calcium ions and binds them. These can now no longer penetrate the cells in increased numbers. In this way, the ability of the vascular muscles to dilate and contract is regulated. As a result, the bloodstream should provide enough space to absorb the pressure of the blood and thus treat hypertension. The effect lasts for more than 40 hours. If taken constantly, however, a fundamental alleviation of the causes is also possible. However, amlodipine alone is not always relied on as the active ingredient for this.
Medical application and use
The prescription is primarily aimed at patients with moderately severe hypertension. However, the drug is not used alone in hypertension. The effect of dilating the vessels also allows additional uses. One example is angina pectoris. Because the blood vessels are no longer constricted, a greater amount of oxygen can be transported to the heart. In the case of chest constriction – angina pectoris – an improvement can thus be achieved. Pain is relieved, and the tightness in the upper abdomen decreases. Amlodipine is thus of relatively great importance in the field of cardiomedicine. It is often used as a concomitant agent and thus supports the therapeutic properties of other ingredients of a drug. It can also be used as a preventive measure against myocardial infarction. However, all of the aforementioned conditions must not yet have reached an elevated or even critical stage. Since amlodipine may cause complications in the cardiovascular system or be involved in cardiac shock, administration would always be avoided in unstable patients.
Risks and Side Effects
In addition to the acute exacerbations of disease mentioned above, amlodipine may cause certain side effects. They often lie in a storage of fluid in the cells. This effect occurs because of the now relaxed vascular walls, which transport water much more quickly in addition to blood and oxygen. Likewise, edema in the legs is more frequently observed after taking the drug. However, these undesirable effects of amlodipine can be avoided by combining it with other active ingredients. In addition, individuals with liver dysfunction may experience impaired metabolism and the resulting concomitant effects. In many cases, a tendency to dizziness, hot flushes, abdominal pain, an undefinable [5drive weakness]] and fatigue is also recorded.However, the appearance of these symptoms is regularly limited to a few days after the first dose of the drug.
