High blood pressure is a serious problem that affects a large number of both young and old people. If you do not identify it in time and start treatment, then serious consequences can not be avoided. For example, high blood pressure can cause a heart attack or even a stroke, which can be difficult to recover from. Therefore, it is recommended not to delay going to the doctor. He will definitely prescribe a lot of drugs to the patient that will help keep the pressure normal. Often, calcium channel blockers are prescribed for this. In pharmacies you can see a lot of such funds, but not all of them are equally effective. In this article, we will consider a similar drug "Amlodipine" and instructions for use. At what pressure should I take the medicine? What is the composition of the tablets? What are the side effects and contraindications? What do patients and doctors think about the medicine? We will try to answer these questions in the article below.
Read more about the composition and form of the drug
The drug is produced by a large pharmaceutical company Sandoz, which is why it has the corresponding prefix in the name. This company is considered multinational, although its main office is located in Germany. She is engaged in the release of generics and is considered one of the best in her field.
The only form of release of Amlodipine Sandoz is tablets. They are round and flat, and also have a dividing risk and a chamfer. They can be recognized by a white or slightly yellowish hue. The tablets also do not have a pronounced odor. They are produced in plastic blisters of 10 pieces. Those, in turn, are packed in cardboard boxes. Each of them, as a rule, contains 3 blisters. The drug is released only on prescription, so taking it without a prescription is not recommended. The shelf life of the tablets is 2 years, they need to be stored in a cool and dry place. The drug is considered affordable, as its price is not too high, however, it may vary depending on the region. So, the minimum cost starts from about 150 rubles.
In addition, this drug is available in different dosages. In pharmacies, you can see tablets that contain 5 or 10 mg of the active substance. Otherwise, they have exactly the same composition. "Amlodipine Sandoz" basically contains the same active substance in the form of besylate. Also included are standard auxiliary components. For example, anhydrous lactose, microcrystalline lactose, corn starch, magnesium stearate and talc.
Pharmacological action of the drug
It has already been indicated above that the drug Amlodipine Sandoz (5 mg) is a calcium channel blocker. Once in the patient’s body, its active substance has an antianginal and antihypertensive effect, that is, it increases blood flow to the heart and normalizes blood pressure for a long time. This is due to relaxation of the smooth muscles of the vessels. The instruction indicates that a single dose is able to maintain pressure for 24 hours. Moreover, its decrease occurs gradually, and not sharply, which is positively evaluated by both doctors and patients. With coronary heart disease, the drug is also able to have a cardioprotective effect.
In patients suffering from angina pectoris, a single dose of the drug "Amlodipine Sandoz", as a rule, increases the possible duration of exercise. Also, the drug is able to slow down the development of this disease and reduce the number of seizures in the patient. Even the constant intake of tablets does not affect the human metabolism. The effect after their use usually occurs within 2-4 hours.
What diseases do doctors prescribe this medicine for?
Since the drug has an antihypertensive effect, doctors mainly prescribe it if the patient has problems with the cardiovascular system. The main indication for the use of Amlodipine Sandoz, of course, is arterial hypertension, that is, a constant and persistent increase in pressure. At the same time, it is often prescribed as part of complex therapy. However, the drug is considered a fairly strong medication, so you should not use it without strict doctor’s instructions. Only a specialist can write a prescription for these tablets, and also indicate the required dosage.
Another common indication for use indicated in the instructions is stable angina pectoris. Prescribe the drug and with a rather rare vasospastic variation of this disease, called Prinzmetal angina.
Does the drug have contraindications?
However, not all patients can maintain their pressure with the help of this medication. Like any other drug, it has many contraindications, in which it is strictly forbidden to take pills. In order not to harm yourself with an improperly selected medication, you should consult your doctor before starting treatment.
As a rule, the main contraindication of Amlodipine Sandoz is severe arterial hypotension, that is, persistent low blood pressure. The fact is that taking pills will reduce it even more, which will not only lead to a worsening of the patient's condition, but can also cause cardiac arrest. However, with mild or moderate hypotension, you can take the medicine, but with caution and under the supervision of a doctor. It is strictly forbidden to use the drug to treat patients with collapse, that is, with sudden cardiovascular failure. In this case, as well as in case of cardiogenic shock, taking pills can lead to a further decrease in human pressure and death.
It is not recommended to take the drug for people suffering from hypersensitivity to one or more excipients that make up the composition. Since the tablets contain lactose in themselves, they should not be drunk by patients who have a history of heritable intolerance or galactosemia.
With caution, the medicine should be used for people with liver failure, since most of the active substance is excreted with the help of this organ. Under the supervision of specialists, tablets should be taken for patients who have recently suffered an acute myocardial infarction. It is not recommended to be treated with this medication in chronic heart failure.
Amlodipine tablets: instructions for use
At what pressure should I take this medication? This question is of interest to many patients before starting therapy. As mentioned above, only with increased, since the main task of the tablets is to reduce it. The decision to start taking should be made only by a qualified specialist who has studied in detail the patient’s history and accurate data on his pressure.
The initial dosage of Amlodipine Sandoz for arterial hypertension is one tablet containing 5 mg of the active substance per day. It should be taken orally without chewing or biting. The tablet should be washed down with a small amount of drinking still water. In this case, you can take the drug both before and after eating. Most often, patients drink it in the morning, as it allows you to maintain normal blood pressure throughout the day. It is best to take the medicine always at the same time. Therefore, only half the pill should be drunk if it contains 10 mg of amlodipine. The same dosage is prescribed for the prevention of angina attacks. A smaller amount of the drug, as a rule, should be used in patients with low stature and low body weight. The same applies to people with severe liver failure.
If this dosage does not help reduce the pressure to the required level, then the doctor may prescribe 10 mg of the active substance per day. This is the maximum allowable daily dose. Before stopping the medication completely, it is recommended to gradually reduce the dosage. During treatment, patients can drive vehicles, but if side effects occur, it is best to refrain from such loads.
What side effects can occur after starting treatment?
Sometimes after taking a medicine, patients begin to feel worse due to unpleasant side effects. These symptoms can also occur during treatment with Amlodipine Sandoz tablets. Side effects are undesirable effects, so when they occur, you should stop taking the drug and seek help from a doctor if they do not go away on their own.
Most often, patients complain of severe headaches, dizziness. So side effects from the central nervous system are manifested. Often people suffer from severe drowsiness and fatigue. They notice that their mood often changes for no apparent reason. More serious symptoms, for example, general weakness, fainting, insomnia, and even cramps, may appear much less often. In isolated cases, patients were diagnosed with migraines and apathy.
Often, patients notice in themselves and violations in the cardiovascular system while taking the drug. They note that they had shortness of breath, legs and arms began to swell. People often complain of flushing and rapid heartbeat. In rare cases, patients had pain in the chest, and blood pressure also decreased too much. Serious heart rhythm disturbances, aggravation of insufficiency of this organ and myocardial infarction are also possible. These are dangerous side effects in which you should immediately consult a doctor. True, they are diagnosed in extremely rare cases.
The digestive system can also suffer from taking the drug. Patients can often feel nausea, abdominal pain, and dry mouth. Serious side effects appear less frequently: diarrhea or constipation, dyspepsia, pancreatitis, gastritis, and jaundice.
Other body systems can also negatively respond to treatment with this drug. For example, people are diagnosed with back pain, impaired sexual function, muscle cramps, and decreased vision. However, these side effects do not appear often.
Separately, it is worth mentioning an allergic reaction that can be detected after taking the tablets. In patients, itching and rash often appear. In isolated cases, life-threatening Quincke's edema is diagnosed.
Overdose and its possible treatment
We have already talked about why Amlodipine Sandoz is taken for. With it, they lower blood pressure, therefore, tablets should be used in a strictly specified dosage, without exceeding it. Otherwise, the appearance of not only unpleasant, but also dangerous consequences for health and life, cannot be avoided. The maximum allowable dose is 10 mg of active ingredient per day. If for any reason the patient drank more in a day, then he should urgently consult a doctor, without waiting for the condition to worsen.
Since the drug is prescribed for arterial hypertension, the main symptom of an overdose, as a rule, is a pronounced decrease in pressure and excessive peripheral vasodilation. Therefore, it should not be delayed with treatment. In the first two hours after a possible dosage, the patient needs to drink activated charcoal. It will help slow down the absorption of the drug. Doctors must carry out a gastric lavage. The limbs of the patient should be in high condition. Then, complex therapy is carried out aimed at maintaining the patient until the drug is excreted from the body. Specialists should carefully monitor the work of the respiratory and cardiovascular system. If necessary, they prescribe drugs to increase blood pressure and restore vascular tone. To eliminate the effects of calcium channel blockade, sometimes sodium gluconate must also be administered intravenously. It was noted that hemodialysis to accelerate the elimination of the drug is ineffective.
Drug Interactions with Other Drugs
It is advisable to use any medications only after consultation with the attending physician, as sometimes simultaneous administration can not only weaken their effectiveness, but also lead to a deterioration of the patient's condition. Knowing what Amlodipine Sandoz is used for, it can be concluded that you can’t drink it at the same time as drugs that increase blood pressure. But doctors are allowed to use it together with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which many other calcium channel blockers cannot boast of. Amlodipine practically does not interact with them.
At the same time, the simultaneous administration of a medication with diuretics, ACE inhibitors, verapamil and nitrates can enhance the hypotensive effect exerted by it. The same goes for antipsychotics. Calcium preparations, in contrast, can reduce its effectiveness.
Is the drug prescribed for children, pregnant women and the elderly?
Unfortunately, therapy with this drug is not always easily tolerated by the human body. Therefore, doctors also distinguish groups of patients for whom the drug is completely contraindicated. These include, for example, children and adolescents under 18 years of age. Experts have not studied in detail the effect that the drug has on a growing and developing organism, so the safety of its administration has not yet been proven. Doctors recommend, if necessary, to select a more gentle means, designed specifically for children.
During pregnancy, the use of "Amlodipine Sandoz" is also not encouraged. The safety of such treatment has also not been established, but doctors, if necessary, sometimes still prescribe the drug to expectant mothers. But only if the possible benefit for the woman is higher than the risks for the fetus developing in her womb. But lactating mothers should not take pills, since their active substance is excreted along with breast milk, which can enter the baby's body. Therefore, doctors recommend that patients choose another medication or completely abandon breastfeeding during treatment.
Older people can take the drug, but you need to do this only under the strict supervision of your doctor. Specialists prescribe tablets with caution, limiting themselves to the minimum daily dose of the active substance.
Are there any analogues of the drug?
The company producing these tablets is manufacturing generics. These are drugs similar to the original that are issued by other firms when the patent expires. Consequently, the difference between "Amlodipine and Amlodipine Sandoz" is only in the manufacturer. Otherwise, they have an identical composition, indications and contraindications, as well as possible side effects. Thus, Amlodipine is a complete analogue of these tablets.
However, other drugs are presented on the pharmaceutical market that not only have a similar effect on the body, but also contain the same active substance. However, it is impossible to replace Amlodipine Sandoz tablets with a similar drug without the permission of the attending physician, since each of them has its own contraindications, side effects, as well as a completely different dosage.
We list the main analogues that are most often found in pharmacies:
- Amlodipine;
- "Acridipine";
- Agen
- Adipin;
- Amlodac
- Amlodigamma
- Amlodil;
- Amlodipine Prana and others.
Positive feedback on "Amlodipine Sandoz"
Many patients before taking any medicine prefer to get acquainted not only with the reviews of patients who have already taken the drug, but also with the responses of doctors. It is worth noting that both of them evaluate this medication positively. In their opinion, Amlodipine Sandoz is an effective drug that can be consumed for a long time. Experts point out that they quite often prescribe it for the prevention of angina pectoris and heart attack. They like that the drug does not reduce pressure sharply, but gradually. Patients note that drinking the medicine is quite convenient, since the pill can be taken in the morning and feel good for the rest of the day. They like the low price, as the drug has to be consumed for a long time. Many people also noted that they had no side effects.
Negative feedback
At the same time, some patients and doctors leave about the drug "Amlodipine Sandoz" and negative reviews. , , , . . 6-8 , . , , . , , . .
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