Amlodipine is a widely used blood pressure medicine. It relaxes and widens the blood vessels so blood flows through them more easily.
- Generic name
- Amlodipine besylate
- Active ingredient
- Amlodipine besylate
- Common brands in India
- Amlopres, Amlokind, Stamlo, Amlogard
- Available as
- Tablet
- Common strengths
- 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg
- How it is sold
- Prescription only — needs a doctor's prescription
No dosage information on this page
The correct dose depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other medicines and medical history. Follow the dose your doctor prescribed, or the instructions on the pack. Never copy a dose from a website or from someone else's prescription.
What Amlodipine is used for
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Angina — chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart
How it works
Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker. It stops calcium entering the muscle cells in the walls of your blood vessels, which lets those walls relax and widen. Wider vessels mean lower pressure, and less work for the heart.
How to take Amlodipine
- It can be taken with or without food.
- Take it at roughly the same time each day — whichever time of day you will actually remember.
- Swallow it with water.
- If you miss a day, carry on as normal the next day. Do not take two to make up for it.
Precautions
- Do not stop it suddenly because your reading has become normal — the reading is normal because of the medicine.
- Stand up slowly for the first few days, especially from bed, as it can cause light-headedness.
- Tell your doctor if you have liver problems, as the dose may need adjusting.
- Mention every other medicine you take, including those for other conditions.
Common side effects
Not everyone gets side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these are troublesome or do not settle.
- Swelling of the ankles and feet — the most common effect, and usually not dangerous
- Headache
- Flushing or a warm feeling in the face
- Dizziness, particularly in the first few days
- Tiredness
- Palpitations
Important warnings
- Tell your doctor if ankle swelling becomes marked or uncomfortable — a change of medicine may be appropriate.
- Seek urgent care for chest pain that is new, more frequent or more severe after starting or increasing the dose.
- Seek urgent care for fainting, or severe and persistent dizziness.
- Get emergency help for any sign of a serious allergic reaction — swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does amlodipine cause ankle swelling?
It widens the small blood vessels, which allows a little fluid to leak into the surrounding tissue, usually pooling in the ankles due to gravity. It is common and generally harmless, but tell your doctor if it becomes troublesome — other options exist.
What time of day should I take amlodipine?
It works over a full 24 hours, so the exact time matters less than taking it consistently at the same time each day. Follow whatever schedule your doctor has given you.
Can I stop amlodipine if my BP is normal?
No — not without your doctor's advice. In almost all cases the blood pressure is normal because the medicine is controlling it, and stopping allows it to rise again.
What are the side effects of amlodipine?
Swelling of the ankles and feet is the most common, and although it is uncomfortable it is usually not dangerous. Headache, flushing, dizziness in the first few days, tiredness and palpitations also occur. Tell your doctor if the ankle swelling bothers you — there are alternatives.
Does amlodipine cause a cough?
Usually not. The dry, tickly cough people associate with blood pressure tablets comes from a different group of medicines — the ACE inhibitors, such as ramipril or enalapril. Amlodipine works in another way and rarely causes it. So if you are on amlodipine and have a cough that will not settle, do not assume the tablet is to blame: check whether you are also taking an ACE inhibitor, including as part of a combination pill, and get the cough looked at properly. A cough lasting more than two weeks needs assessment whatever medicine you are on.
What this costs, and what is free
Commonly available free at government hospitals and health and wellness centres when prescribed there.
Generic versions are sold at Jan Aushadhi Kendras at substantially lower prices than branded packs of the same medicine.
The same molecule is sold under many brand names at very different prices. Ask your doctor to write the generic name, and compare at a Jan Aushadhi Kendra — the saving on a medicine taken daily is often substantial over a year. You can look up any medicine's official ceiling price on NPPA's Pharma Sahi Daam app.
Source: Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)
Prices and scheme rules change. Confirm current details with the hospital or Kendra before you rely on them.
Looking for Amlodipine locally?Aswini Medicals is a pharmacy that stocks everyday medicines and can advise on availability.
Visit Aswini Medicals