Why is the drug "Felodip" necessary? Instructions for use of this drug will be described in detail in the submitted article. Also from it you will learn about why this medication is prescribed, what side effects it has, whether this drug has contraindications, how much it costs, what analogues it has, and so on.
The composition of the medication, its release form and packaging
In what form can a drug “Felodip” be found in a pharmacy? The instruction for the use of this medication states that it is available only in the form of prolonged-release tablets. Moreover, a different dosage of this drug has a different shell:
- Yellow pills in the form of lentils without any smell are indicated by the number 2.5. The active element of such a drug is felodipine in an amount of 2.5 mg. Excipients of this medication are lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, microcrystalline cellulose, red iron oxide, povidone, titanium dioxide, propyl gallate, yellow iron oxide, magnesium stearate, propylene glycol, colloidal anhydrous silicon, talc. On sale, this drug comes in blisters of 10 tablets, which are placed in cardboard packs.
- Pills of light pink color in the form of lentils without any smell are indicated by the number 5. The active element of such a drug is felodipine in an amount of 5 mg. Excipients of this medication are lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, microcrystalline cellulose, red iron oxide, povidone, titanium dioxide, propyl gallate, yellow iron oxide, magnesium stearate, propylene glycol, colloidal anhydrous silicon, talc. On sale, this drug comes in blisters of 10 tablets, which are placed in cardboard boxes.
- Tablets of red-brown color in the form of lentils without any smell are indicated by the number 10. The active element of such a drug is felodipine in an amount of 10 mg. Excipients are lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, microcrystalline cellulose, red iron oxide, povidone, titanium dioxide, propyl gallate, yellow iron oxide, magnesium stearate, propylene glycol, anhydrous colloidal silicon, talc. On sale, this drug comes in blister packs of 10 tablets. Blisters are placed in cardboard bundles.
Pharmacological properties of the drug
What is the medicine "Felodip"? Instructions for use of this medication say that it is a blocker of slow calcium channels. The drug in question belongs to the group of dihydropyridine derivatives.
This medicine is capable of exerting antianginal and hypotensive effects. In addition, it lowers blood pressure (arterial) by decreasing OPSS.
What other properties does the medicine “Felodip” have? Instructions for use of the drug include information that it has an anti-ischemic dose-dependent effect. The medication reduces the size of the myocardium, and also protects the human body from complications of reperfusion.
This tool has virtually no negative inotropic effect. It has a minimal effect on the conductive system.
Pharmacokinetics of the drug
How long is the drug “Felodip” absorbed? Instructions for use, reviews about this tool say that after taking the tablets inside, the active substance of the medication is almost completely absorbed from the digestive tract and acts immediately. Due to its dosage form, the slow release of the active element ensures its uniform concentration in the blood (during the day), and also leads to an increase in the absorption phase.
It is impossible not to say that the bioavailability of this drug does not depend on therapeutic dosages and amounts to about 15%.
Binding to plasma, or rather its proteins, is approximately 99%. The drug is excreted along with breast milk and penetrates the BBB, as well as the placental barrier. With prolonged use, cumulation of the active substance does not occur.
Where is the drug Felodip metabolized? The active component of this agent is metabolized in the liver. In this case, inactive metabolites are formed.
The half-life of the drug is about 25 hours. The drug is excreted in the form of metabolites (approximately 70%) along with urine and feces (30%).
Drug indications
In what cases is the medicine “Felodip” (5 mg) prescribed for patients? The instruction for this medication contains the following list of indications for use:
- arterial hypertension;
- angina pectoris;
- arrhythmia;
- coronary heart disease;
- circulatory disorders;
- Raynaud's syndrome.
Contraindications
In what cases is it strictly forbidden to take the drug "Felodip"? The reviews of doctors, as well as the attached instructions, state that this medication can not be used in the following conditions:
- acute myocardial infarction, as well as within a month after a heart attack;
- unstable angina pectoris;
- cardiogenic shock;
- heart failure, especially in the stage of decompensation;
- aortic stenosis (clinically significant);
- pregnancy
- arterial hypotension (severe);
- in childhood and adolescence (up to 18 years);
- during lactation;
- hypersensitivity of the patient to the drug or other dihydropyridine derivatives.
It is impossible not to mention that this drug is prescribed with extreme caution to patients with hepatic and renal failure.
Medical tool "Felodip": instructions for use
Analogs of this tool will be presented a little further. Now I want to tell you about how this drug should be taken correctly.
With arterial hypertension, the dosage for adults and elderly people is set individually. As a rule, the initial volume of the drug is 5 mg once a day. During the selection of the appropriate dosage, patients are advised to use 2.5 mg tablets. In case of acute need, the dose of the medication can be increased. The average volume of the drug for maintenance treatment is 5-10 mg per day.
For elderly patients or patients with impaired liver function, at the beginning of therapy, the drug is prescribed in an amount of 2.5 mg per day.
With stable angina pectoris, Felodip is prescribed individually. At the same time, its initial dosage (for adults) is 5 mg once a day. If required, the dose can be increased to 10 mg per day. The maximum daily volume of the drug is 20 mg.
Felodip tablets can be taken in combination with ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers and diuretics. However, it should be noted that the hypotensive effect is enhanced. Therefore, special care must be taken in view of the increased risk of hypotension.
In patients with severe hepatic impairment, the dosage of the drug should be reduced.
The presented medicine should be taken only in the morning, before breakfast. In this case, tablets should never be crushed, crushed or divided.
Overdose
If the Felodip tablets are not used correctly, the following overdose symptoms may be observed in patients: bradycardia and arterial hypotension (severe).
In the event of such signs, symptomatic therapy is performed. With arterial hypotension (severe), the patient is given a horizontal position, and also legs are lifted. As for bradycardia, in this case, the patient is injected intramuscularly with atropine in a dosage of 0.5-1 mg. If necessary, then sodium chloride, glucose or dextran are infused to increase plasma volume.
If the above measures are ineffective, the patient is prescribed medications with a predominant effect on alpha adrenergic receptors.
Side effects from taking the medication
Can the drug “Felodip” adversely affect the human body? Analogues of this tool and the drug itself quite often causes headache, facial flushing, dizziness, palpitations, and increased fatigue. However, it should be noted that such reactions are reversible. As a rule, they appear at the very beginning of therapy, as well as with increasing dosages of the drug.
By the way, depending on the amount of medication taken, the patient may also have peripheral edema. According to experts, they are a consequence of precapillary vasodilation.
In patients with periodontitis or gum disease, a slight swelling of the gums may occur while taking the medicine. This process can be obstructed if careful oral hygiene is observed.
In some cases, taking the medication we are considering becomes the cause of the following side effects:
- Cardiovascular system: palpitations, peripheral edema and tachycardia.
- Dermatological reactions: photosensitization, pruritus, urticaria.
- Peripheral as well as central nervous system: paresthesia, headache and dizziness.
- Musculoskeletal system: arthralgia, myalgia.
- Digestive tract: gingival hyperplasia, nausea, increased activity of liver enzymes.
- Others: fatigue, hypersensitivity reactions, including angioedema.
Analogues and cost of the drug
How much is the medication we are considering? This is the question that many patients are asked to whom this drug was prescribed. It should be noted that today such a medicine can be purchased at the following prices:
- tablets in the amount of 2.5 mg (30 pieces) - 425 Russian rubles;
- tablets in a volume of 5 mg (30 pieces) - 556 Russian rubles;
- tablets in a volume of 10 mg (30 pieces) - 831 Russian rubles.
What can replace the drug "Felodip"? Analogues of this drug are available in almost every pharmacy. Among them, I would like to highlight the following medications: Plendil, Felodipin-SZ, Felodipin, and Felotens Retard.
Positive patient reviews about the drug
Reviews of patients about the drug "Felodip" say that it is very effective and well tolerated by patients, regardless of age and gender. In addition, this medication can even be taken by patients with diabetes mellitus, impaired renal function, bronchial asthma and other obstructive pulmonary diseases, with Raynaud's syndrome, hyperlipidemia, gout, and also after lung transplantation.
Many experts note the fact that this medicine does not have any effect on the lipid profile and the concentration of glucose in the blood.
Negative reviews
Among the negative reviews that patients leave about this drug, we can note those associated with the high cost of the drug. Although pharmacists claim that its price is fully consistent with efficiency and quality.