Loading
If this is the first time anyone has visited this substance, we may be fetching live data from TGA Product Information, PBS, and state framework sources — that can take up to a minute. Cached substances load in a second or two.
A plain-language summary of the cited sources below. Informational only — not medical advice.
Amlodipine is a blood pressure medication that works by blocking calcium from entering the muscle cells in blood vessels and the heart. This allows blood vessels to relax and widen, which lowers blood pressure and reduces the heart's workload. Doctors prescribe it primarily to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) or chronic stable angina—chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. The medication stays in the body for a long time, with a half-life of around 35 to 50 hours, which is why it's usually taken once daily.
Your family member might experience headache, swelling (especially in the ankles or feet), fatigue, nausea, or dizziness while taking amlodipine. These effects occur commonly enough that you should watch for them, especially when the medication is first started or the dose is changed.
Though less common, amlodipine can cause serious problems. Contact a doctor urgently if your family member develops signs of pancreatitis (severe stomach pain), liver problems (yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine), chest pain, irregular heartbeat, severe swelling of the face or throat, or a serious skin rash. These reactions require immediate medical attention.
Amlodipine should not be used in anyone who has had an allergic reaction to it or to related medications in the dihydropyridine group. It can interact with other medications because it has a weak effect on the liver enzyme CYP3A, which breaks down many drugs, so the prescribing doctor needs to know about all other medications your family member is taking.
“Amlodipine is a calcium ion influx inhibitor (slow channel blocker or calcium ion antagonist) and inhibits the transmembrane influx of calcium ions into cardiac and vascular smooth muscle.”
“The terminal plasma elimination half-life is about 35-50 hours and is consistent with once daily dosing.”
“Amlodipine is a weak CYP3A inhibitor.”
A plain-language summary of the cited sources below. Informational only — not medical advice.
Amlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker that inhibits transmembrane calcium ion influx into cardiac and vascular smooth muscle. It carries TGA-approved indications for first-line treatment of hypertension and chronic stable angina. The terminal plasma elimination half-life is approximately 35–50 hours, supporting once-daily dosing.
Amlodipine is a weak CYP3A inhibitor. Common adverse effects include headache, oedema, fatigue, nausea, and dizziness. Serious adverse effects include pancreatitis, hepatitis with jaundice and hepatic enzyme elevations mostly consistent with cholestasis, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia (including bradycardia, ventricular tachycardia, and atrial fibrillation), chest pain, angioedema, and erythema multiforme. It is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to amlodipine, other dihydropyridines, or any inactive ingredient in the formulation.
Working under the parallel aged-care framework? Aged-care equivalent →
Curated subset. The full adverse-effect list is in the TGA Product Information; click any citation above to open it.