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 complaints.
What is amlodipine?
Due to its low solubility in water, amlodipine is generally administered in the form of tablets and capsules. It is prescribed to patients who complain of indefinable high blood pressure. It should therefore not be possible to clearly analyze the possible causes of improper diet, occupational pressure or lack of exercise - otherwise specific preparations would be more suitable for therapy.
The amlodipine is said to reduce blood pressure by an average of ten percent. The remedy maintains its effect for over 40 hours and is therefore one of the remedies with a comparatively long half-life. In this way, the cardiovascular system is normalized, since the blood pressure now remains constant for many hours and is not subject to any fluctuations.
However, the prescription and dosage must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Patients who, in addition to the symptoms mentioned, have an increased risk of heart attack, often forego amlodipine in favor of other drugs.
Pharmacological effect
The cause of hypertension is generally seen as a high occurrence of calcium ions in the cells of the vascular muscles. The blood vessels leading to and from the heart are usually no longer able to expand and contract themselves.
This means that the vessels are very often narrowed. The incoming blood stream can no longer be adequately channeled. His pressure increases. The amlodipine is said to improve this condition. It accesses and binds the calcium ions. These can no longer penetrate the cells in increased numbers. In this way, the ability of the vascular muscles to expand and contract is regulated.
As a result, the bloodstream should offer enough space to absorb the pressure of the blood and use it to treat hypertension. The effect lasts for over 40 hours. With constant consumption, however, a fundamental alleviation of the causes is also possible. However, amlodipine alone is not always used as the active ingredient.
Medical application & use
The prescription is aimed primarily at patients with moderate hypertension. However, the drug is not used on its own for high blood pressure. The effect of expanding the vessels also enables additional uses. For example with angina pectoris.
As the blood vessels are no longer narrowed, a greater amount of oxygen can be transported into the heart. With the chest constriction - the angina pectoris - an improvement can be achieved. Pain is relieved, the tightness in the upper body is reduced. Amlodipine is therefore of relatively high importance in the field of cardiomedicine. It is often used as an accompanying active ingredient and thus supports the therapeutic properties of other ingredients in a drug.
It can also be used as part of preventive measures against a heart attack. However, none of the ailments mentioned above must not have reached an elevated or even critical stage. Since amlodipine can cause complications in the cardiovascular system or be involved in a shock to the heart, administration should always be avoided in unstable patients.
Risks & side effects
In addition to the acute exacerbations of the disease mentioned, amlodipine can cause certain side effects. They often lie in the accumulation of fluid in the cells. This effect occurs through the now relaxed vessel walls, which transport not only blood and oxygen but also water much faster.
Edema in the legs is also noticed more often after ingestion. However, these undesirable effects of amlodipine can be avoided by combining it with other active ingredients. In the case of people with a disorder of the liver function, it can also lead to a restricted metabolism and the accompanying circumstances resulting from it.
In addition, a tendency to dizziness, hot flashes, abdominal pain, an indefinable [5 drive weakness]] as well as fatigue is often recorded. However, the occurrence of these symptoms is usually limited to a few days after first taking the drug.
