| |
Back to Cardiology Drug index
Name: Amlodipine
Pregnancy Category C
Drug classes
- Calcium channel-blocker
- Antianginal drug
- Antihypertensive
Therapeutic actions
Inhibits the movement of calcium ions across the membranes of cardiac
and
arterial muscle cells; inhibits transmembrane calcium flow, which
results
in the depression of impulse formation in specialized cardiac
pacemaker
cells, slowing of the velocity of conduction of the cardiac impulse,
depression of myocardial contractility, and dilation of coronary
arteries and arterioles and peripheral arterioles; these effects lead to
decreased
cardiac work, decreased cardiac energy consumption, and in patients
with
vasospastic (Prinzmetal's) angina, increased delivery of oxygen to
cardiac cells.
Indications
- Angina pectoris due to coronary artery spasm (Prinzmetal's variant
angina)
- Chronic stable angina, alone or in combination with other agents
- Essential hypertension, alone or in combination with other
antihypertensives
Contraindications/cautions
Allergy to diltiazem, impaired hepatic or renal function, sick sinus
syndrome, heart block (second or third degree), lactation.
Adverse effects
- CNS: Dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, asthenia, fatigue, lethargy
- GI: Nausea, abdominal discomfort
- CV: Peripheral edema, arrhythmias
- Dermatologic: Flushing, rash
|
|
|
|
Are you a doctor or a nurse?
Do you want to join the Doctors Lounge online medical community?
Participate in editorial activities (publish, peer review, edit) and
give a helping hand to the largest online community of patients.
Click on the link below to see the requirements:
Doctors Lounge Membership
Application |
|
|
|
|
|
|
send
to a friend
printer
friendly version
