S Amlodipine
About
S Amlodipine belongs to a class of medicines called calcium channel blockers which are primarily taken to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina (chest pain). Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a lifelong or chronic condition in which the blood pressure against the artery walls becomes high. The higher this blood pressure, the harder the heart has to pump.
S Amlodipine contains 'S-amlodipine', a calcium channel blocker that acts by relaxing the blood vessels. This reduces the heart's workload and makes the heart more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body. Thus, it helps to lower high blood pressure, reducing the chances of heart attack or stroke.
Take S Amlodipine with or without food as prescribed by your doctor with a full glass of water. S Amlodipine may be prescribed alone or in combination with other blood pressure-lowering medicines depending upon your blood pressure levels. Inform your doctor if you are taking any other anti-hypertensive medicine. You may have common side effects like fatigue, ankle swelling, sleepiness, flushing (sense of warmth in the face, ears, neck, and trunk), headache, nausea, dizziness, palpitations, abdominal pain that usually resolves after some time. You must closely monitor your blood pressure if you ever have had a stroke, heart attack, or currently taking other blood pressure-lowering pills. It is advised to continue taking this drug and do not stop taking it suddenly without consulting your doctor.
Inform your doctor if you are allergic to S Amlodipine. Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or are planning to get pregnant, are breastfeeding, have liver disease, kidney disease, heart failure, Shock (including cardiogenic shock), obstruction of the outflow tract of the left ventricle (e.g., high-grade aortic stenosis), unstable angina (excluding Prinzmetal's angina), severe hypotension, hemodynamically unstable heart failure after acute myocardial infarction.
Uses of S Amlodipine
Medicinal Benefits
S Amlodipine is used to treat heart-related conditions like angina (chest pain) and high blood pressure (hypertension). It is a calcium channel blocker that inhibits the entry of calcium (ions) across the heart which relaxes and widens the smooth muscles for better blood flow. Besides this, S Amlodipine helps prevent sudden spasms of the coronary artery (blood vessels of the heart) and reduces how hard the heart has to pump blood around the body, lowering its oxygen requirements. It improves an individual’s tolerance to physical activity and exercise and keeps their blood pressure normal during exercise. As a result, it overall protects your heart and keeps your heart healthy.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of S Amlodipine
- Fatigue
- Ankle swelling
- Sleepiness
- Flushing (sense of warmth in the face, ears, neck, and trunk)
- Headache
- Difficulty in breathing
- Blurred vision
- Diarrhea
- Irregular heartbeat
- Chest tightness
- Black or tarry stools
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Palpitations
- Abdominal pain
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
S Amlodipine should not be given to people allergic to S Amlodipine, have low blood pressure (less than 90 mm of Hg), have had a heart attack, kidney disease, liver disease, pregnant women, or planning to get pregnant and breastfeeding women without the prescription of a doctor. Besides this, it is contraindicated in patients with aortic stenosis (heart valve problem). S Amlodipine can pass into breast milk, but its effect on the baby is not known. So, it is better to tell your doctor if you are taking S Amlodipine and breastfeeding. S Amlodipine is not recommended for use in patients with a known history of hypotension or cardiogenic shock due to the increased risk of worsening the patient's condition. S Amlodipine should be used with caution in patients with coronary artery disease due to the increased risk of worsening the patient's condition. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required based on the clinical condition.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: S Amlodipine may interact with high blood pressure lowering pills (benazepril, metoprolol, ramipril, hydrochlorothiazide), drugs used to control lipid levels in the blood (atorvastatin, simvastatin), medicines to treat erectile dysfunction (sildenafil), antibiotics (clarithromycin, erythromycin, rifampin), antifungal (itraconazole, ketoconazole), anti-HIV drugs (ritonavir), anti-epilepsy medicines (carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone), immune-suppressing drugs (cyclosporine, tacrolimus), cardiac glycoside (digoxin), blood thinners (warfarin), and painkillers (ibuprofen, aspirin).
Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid foods with high fat or cholesterol. Avoid too much salt in your diet like pickles, and extra salt on salad. Avoid S Amlodipine with grapefruit juice.
Drug-Disease Interactions: S Amlodipine should not be given to people with cardiogenic shock (when the heart fails to pump required blood to the body), heart valve problem (stenosis), low blood pressure (hypotension), liver disease, heart failure, kidney disease.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou are recommended not to consume alcohol along with S Amlodipine to avoid unpleasant side effects like lowering of blood pressure (hypotension).
Pregnancy
cautionS Amlodipine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking S Amlodipine.
Breast Feeding
cautionS Amlodipine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine
Driving
unsafeDrive with caution, S Amlodipine usually causes drowsiness and affects driving ability.
Liver
cautionS Amlodipine should be used with caution, especially if you have or have had a history of liver disease. Your doctor will have to change the dosage depending on your medical condition and your reaction to treatment.
Kidney
cautionS Amlodipine is generally safe to prescribe in patients with kidney diseases, and dose adjustment is generally not required. However, your doctor will decide the appropriate dosage strength depending upon the severity of your condition.
Children
cautionS Amlodipine can be given safely to children aged 6-12 years provided, the dose has been prescribed by a child specialist. S Amlodipine should not be given to the children without consulting a child specialist.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Keep your weight under control with a BMI of 19.5-24.9.
- Do regular physical activity or exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, or about 30 minutes most days of the week. Doing this can help you to lower your raised blood pressure by about 5 mm of Hg.
- Opt for a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy products.
- Limit intake of sodium chloride (table salt) in your daily diet to 2300 mg per day or less than 1500 mg is ideal for most adults.
- If you are taking alcohol, then only one serving for women and two servings for men is advisable.
- Quitting smoking is the best strategy to lower the risk of heart disease.
- Avoid chronic stress as it can raise your blood pressure. Try to enjoy and spent time with your loved ones to cope with stress and practice mindfulness techniques.
- Monitor your blood pressure daily and if there is too much fluctuation, then immediately contact your doctor.
- Try to include heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid-containing food drinks in your daily diet. You can also use low-fat cooking oil like olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and coconut oil to lower your elevated blood pressure.
Special Advise
- S Amlodipine is generally advised for treatment of high blood pressure and other heart conditions.
- S Amlodipine should be taken at the same time every day for its maximum effects to be seen and for increased compliance.
- Consumption of S Amlodipine may cause dizziness. Avoid activities like driving while on this medication.
- A sudden drop in blood pressure may be seen while on this medication which might lead to dizziness. Changing your posture at a slower rate might help counter this.
- Ankle swelling is sometimes seen as a side effect of this drug. Consult your doctor if this or other side effects cause trouble or are persistent.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Hypertension: Hypertension is a chronic condition when blood pressure is too high. This condition can lead to hardened arteries (blood vessels), decreasing the blood and oxygen flow to the heart. Raised blood pressure can cause chest pain (angina) and heart attack (when the blood supply to the heart is blocked). Additionally, high blood pressure also causes brain damage (stroke) and kidney failure. High blood pressure can be diagnosed with the help of a blood pressure monitor. Systolic pressure is the pressure with which the heart pumps blood out. On the other hand, diastolic pressure is when your heart is at the resting stage between heartbeats. If your blood pressure is 140/90 mm of Hg, it means the systolic pressure is 140 mm of Hg and, diastolic pressure is 90 mm of Hg. Ideal blood pressure should be between 90/60 mm of Hg and 120/80 mm of Hg.
Angina (chest pain): Angina is a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Angina feels like squeezing, pressure, heaviness, tightness, or pain in the chest. It can be sudden or recur over time.
FAQs
S Amlodipine contains S-amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker that acts by relaxing the blood vessels. This reduces the heart's workload and makes the heart more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body. Thus, it helps to lower high blood pressure, reducing the chances of heart attack or stroke.
The common side effects of S Amlodipine are fatigue, ankle swelling, sleepiness, flushing (sense of warmth in the face, ears, neck, and trunk), headache, nausea, dizziness, palpitations, and abdominal pain resolves after some time.
No, you are advised to inform your doctor and monitor your blood pressure for at least two weeks before stopping the medicine. Depending upon your current blood pressure readings, there is a possibility your doctor may lower your medicine dosage and will not recommend discontinuing it.
In case you have missed a dose of S Amlodipine, you are advised to take it as soon as you remember. However, try not to miss a dose in the first place, if it's time for you to take your next dose, then do not take both doses together. Take only one dose, taking a double dose of S Amlodipine will lead to low blood pressure.
Yes, S Amlodipine is known to cause ankle swelling upon long-term use. Please try to keep your feet up when sitting for long hours. If the problem persists still, consult your doctor and do as advised.
