Amlodipine
/api/v1/drug/amlodipineMechanism of action
Sourced from openFDAAmlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist (calcium ion antagonist or slow-channel blocker) that inhibits the transmembrane influx of calcium ions into vascular smooth muscle and cardiac muscle. Experimental data suggest that amlodipine binds to both dihydropyridine and nondihydropyridine binding sites.
Indications
Sourced from openFDA- Amlodipine besylate tablets are calcium channel blocker and may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive and antianginal agents for the treatment of: •Hypertension ( 1.1 ) о Amlodipine besylate tablets are indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions.ICD-10: I10
Contraindications
Sourced from openFDA- Known sensitivity to amlodipine ( 4 ) Amlodipine besylate tablets are contraindicated in patients with known sensitivity to amlodipine.contraindicated
Dosage & administration
Sourced from openFDA•Adult recommended starting dose: 5 mg once daily with maximum dose 10 mg once daily. ( 2.1 ) о Small, fragile, or elderly patients, or patients with hepatic insufficiency may be started on 2.5 mg once daily. ( 2.1 ) •Pediatric starting dose: 2.5 mg to 5 mg once daily. ( 2.2 ) Important Limitation : Doses in excess of 5 mg daily have not been studied in pediatric patients. ( 2.2 ) 2.1 Adults The usual initial antihypertensive oral dose of amlodipine besylate tablet is 5 mg once daily and the maximum dose is 10 mg once daily. Small, fragile, or elderly patients, or patients with hepatic insufficiency may be started on 2.5 mg once daily and this dose may be used when adding amlodipine besylate tablet to other antihypertensive therapy. Adjust dosage according to blood pressure goals. In general, wait 7 to 14 days between titration steps. Titrate more rapidly, however, if clinically warranted, provided the patient is assessed frequently. Angina The recommended dose for chronic stable or vasospastic angina is 5 to 10 mg, with the lower dose suggested in the elderly and in patients with hepatic insufficiency. Most patients will require 10 mg for adequate effect. Coronary artery disease The recommended dose range for patients with coronary artery disease is 5 to 10 mg once daily. In clinical studies, the majority of patients required 10 mg [see CLINICAL STUDIES (14.4) ] . 2.2 Children The effective antihypertensive oral dose in pediatric patients ages 6 to 17 years is 2.5 mg to 5 mg once daily.
Warnings & precautions
Sourced from openFDASymptomatic hypotension is possible, particularly in patients with severe aortic stenosis. However, acute hypotension is unlikely. ( 5.1 ) Worsening angina and acute myocardial infarction can develop after starting or increasing the dose of amlodipine, particularly in patients with severe obstructive coronary artery disease. ( 5.2 ) Titrate slowly in patients with severe hepatic impairment. ( 5.3 ) 5.1 Hypotension Symptomatic hypotension is possible, particularly in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Because of the gradual onset of action, acute hypotension is unlikely. 5.2 Increased Angina or Myocardial Infarction Worsening angina and acute myocardial infarction can develop after starting or increasing the dose of amlodipine, particularly in patients with severe obstructive coronary artery disease. 5.3 Patients with Hepatic Failure Because amlodipine besylate is extensively metabolized by the liver and the plasma elimination half-life (t 1/2 ) is 56 hours in patients with impaired hepatic function, titrate slowly when administering amlodipine besylate to patients with severe hepatic impairment.
Adverse reactions
Sourced from openFDAMost common adverse reaction to amlodipine is edema which occurred in a dose related manner. Other adverse experiences not dose related but reported with an incidence >1.0% are fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, and somnolence. ( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-800-399-2561 or www.lupinpharmaceuticals.com or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Amlodipine has been evaluated for safety in more than 11,000 patients in U.S. and foreign clinical trials. In general, treatment with amlodipine was well-tolerated at doses up to 10 mg daily. Most adverse reactions reported during therapy with amlodipine were of mild or moderate severity. In controlled clinical trials directly comparing amlodipine (N=1730) at doses up to 10 mg to placebo (N=1250), discontinuation of amlodipine because of adverse reactions was required in only about 1.5% of patients and was not significantly different from placebo (about 1%). The most commonly reported side effects more frequent than placebo are reflected in the table below. The incidence (%) of side effects that occurred in a dose related manner are as follows: Amlodipine Placebo 2 .
Use in specific populations
Sourced from openFDAPediatric: Effect on patients less than 6 years old is not known. ( 8.4 ) Geriatric: Start dosing at the low end of the dose range. ( 8.5 ) 8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary The limited available data based on post-marketing reports with amlodipine use in pregnant women are not sufficient to inform a drug-associated risk for major birth defects and miscarriage. There are risks to the mother and fetus associated with poorly controlled hypertension in pregnancy [see Clinical Considerations] . In animal reproduction studies, there was no evidence of adverse developmental effects when pregnant rats and rabbits were treated orally with amlodipine maleate during organogenesis at doses approximately 10 and 20-times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD), respectively. However for rats, litter size was significantly decreased (by about 50%) and the number of intrauterine deaths was significantly increased (about 5-fold). Amlodipine has been shown to prolong both the gestation period and the duration of labor in rats at this dose [see Data]. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S.
Overdosage
Sourced from openFDAOverdosage might be expected to cause excessive peripheral vasodilation with marked hypotension and possibly a reflex tachycardia. In humans, experience with intentional overdosage of amlodipine is limited. Single oral doses of amlodipine maleate equivalent to 40 mg amlodipine/kg and 100 mg amlodipine/kg in mice and rats, respectively, caused deaths. Single oral amlodipine maleate doses equivalent to 4 or more mg amlodipine/kg or higher in dogs (11 or more times the maximum recommended human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) caused a marked peripheral vasodilation and hypotension. If massive overdose should occur, initiate active cardiac and respiratory monitoring. Frequent blood pressure measurements are essential. Should hypotension occur, provide cardiovascular support including elevation of the extremities and the judicious administration of fluids. If hypotension remains unresponsive to these conservative measures, consider administration of vasopressors (such as phenylephrine) with attention to circulating volume and urine output. As amlodipine is highly protein bound, hemodialysis is not likely to be of benefit.
Approval history
Sourced from openFDA- Jul 31, 1992NDANDA019787Viatris
- Mar 3, 1995NDANDA020364Sandoz
- Jan 30, 2004NDANDA021540Pharmacia
- Jun 20, 2007NDANDA021990Novartis
- Sep 26, 2007NDANDA022100Cosette
- Apr 30, 2009NDANDA022314Novartis
- Jul 23, 2010NDANDA200175Cosette
- Jul 8, 2019NDANDA211340Azurity
FAERS reports
- 1Fatigue26,1696.1%
- 2Diarrhoea22,8325.3%
- 3Nausea22,6045.2%
- 4Dyspnoea21,5845.0%
- 5Drug Ineffective20,3854.7%
- 6Dizziness18,3724.3%
- 7Headache17,0674.0%
- 8Off Label Use17,0223.9%
- 9Pain16,3073.8%
- 10Asthenia14,8633.4%
- 11Vomiting14,4963.4%
- 12Fall14,4553.3%
- 13Hypertension13,8873.2%
- 14Death13,6003.2%
- 15Malaise13,4853.1%
Literature
Recent PubMed references pinned to Amlodipine as a MeSH major topic. Citations link to pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
- Successful Reversal of Severe Amlodipine and Propranolol Poisoning with Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Combined with Blood Purification: A Case Report of Prolonged Cardiac Arrest.The Journal of emergency medicine · 2026 · Hu Y, Tian Z, Lai B, et al.PMID 42208452DOI 10.1016/j.jemermed.2026.04.024
- Efficacy and Safety of Telmisartan 20 mg/S-Amlodipine 2.5 mg versus Telmisartan 40 mg in Patients with Hypertension, Inadequately Controlled on Telmisartan 20 mg Monotherapy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter, Phase 3 Trial.Drug design, development and therapy · 2026 · Youn JC, Kim ES, Park TH, et al.PMID 42199811DOI 10.2147/DDDT.S587488
- Investigation of the on-column oxidative formation of impurity D during amlodipine impurities profiling by UHPLC.Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis · 2026 · Douša M, Kalášek SPMID 42190400DOI 10.1016/j.jpba.2026.117559
- Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) augmentation of amlodipine in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and wide pulse pressure: A comparative study.Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences · 2026 · Ding M, Zhang J, Li Z, et al.PMID 42170980DOI 10.36721/PJPS.2026.39.7.203.1
- Antihypertensive Combinations Modify Cardiovascular Risk Factor Importance: A Machine Learning Analysis of the ACCOMPLISH Trial.Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.) · 2026 · Kaciroti N, Levy PD, Jamerson KA, et al.PMID 42130176DOI 10.1111/jch.70278
- Low-Dose Telmisartan/Amlodipine in Essential Hypertension: A Phase III Trial.Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.) · 2026 · Ahn HS, Ahn JC, Cho JM, et al.PMID 42130156DOI 10.1111/jch.70279
- Laser-Assisted Management of Amlodipine-Induced Gingival Overgrowth in a Medically Complex Patient.Special care in dentistry : official publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry · 2026 · Gilligan G, Benavides P, Romero-Panico JC, et al.PMID 42093298DOI 10.1111/scd.70177
- Effectiveness of an amlodipine and perindopril arginine-based strategy for hypertension management in Morocco: a prospective observational study.The Pan African medical journal · 2025 · Khayat SSE, Benouna EGM, Mba CM, et al.PMID 42078104DOI 10.11604/pamj.2025.52.186.49213
Clinical trials
The 10 most recently updated of 717 ClinicalTrials.gov registrations naming Amlodipine as an intervention. Registration is not evidence of efficacy or safety — reference crosswalk only.
- Alpelisib/iNOS Inhibitor/Nab-paclitaxel in Patients With HER2 Negative Metaplastic Breast Cancer (MpBC)Recruiting · Phase 2 · Interventional · 36 enrolled · The Methodist Hospital Research InstituteNCT05660083updated 2026-06-04
- A Clinical Study Comparing Ankle Swelling Caused by Two Different Blood Pressure Medications, Levamlodipine and Amlodipine, in Post-menopausal Women With Mild High Blood Pressure.Not yet recruiting · Phase 3 · Interventional · 344 enrolled · Zentiva, k.s.NCT07618806updated 2026-06-01
- Efficacy and Safety of Ezetimibe/Rosuvastatin and Amlodipine Patients With High Blood Pressure and High CholesterolCompleted · Phase 3 · Interventional · 163 enrolled · Celltrion Pharm, Inc.NCT07564726updated 2026-05-08
- Statin Neuroprotection and Carotid Endarterectomy: Safety, Feasibility and OutcomesTerminated · Phase 3 · Interventional · 31 enrolled · Columbia UniversityNCT02850081updated 2026-05-07
- MR Antagonist and LSD1Active not recruiting · Phase 4 · Interventional · 300 enrolled · Brigham and Women's HospitalNCT04840342updated 2026-04-29
- The Efficacy and Safety of Triple Therapy of Telmisartan/Amlodipine/RosuvastatinCompleted · Phase 4 · Interventional · 252 enrolled · Hyo-Soo KimNCT03860220updated 2026-04-27
- A Pilot Study Exploring Efficacy and Safety of Amlodipine in the Stented Angina PatientsCompleted · Phase 4 · Interventional · 211 enrolled · Seoul National University HospitalNCT01120327updated 2026-04-27
- Optimal Blood Pressure for the prevenTIon of Major vAscuLar Events in Stroke PatientsActive not recruiting · Interventional · 4,368 enrolled · Hospital Israelita Albert EinsteinNCT04036409updated 2026-04-16
- Arterial Stiffness and Blood PressureRecruiting · Interventional · 228 enrolled · VA Office of Research and DevelopmentNCT06495710updated 2026-04-13
- Mineralocorticoid Receptor, Coronary Microvascular Function, and Cardiac Efficiency in HypertensionRecruiting · Phase 4 · Interventional · 75 enrolled · Brigham and Women's HospitalNCT05593055updated 2026-04-06
Structural analogs
Ranked by 2D fingerprint (Tanimoto) similarity over PubChem structures. Structural proximity only — not a claim of therapeutic equivalence.
Frequently asked questions
- How does Amlodipine work?
- Amlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist (calcium ion antagonist or slow-channel blocker) that inhibits the transmembrane influx of calcium ions into vascular smooth muscle and cardiac muscle. Experimental data suggest that amlodipine binds to both dihydropyridine and nondihydropyridine binding sites.
- What is Amlodipine used for?
- According to FDA labeling, Amlodipine carries indications including: Amlodipine besylate tablets are calcium channel blocker and may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive and antianginal agents for the treatment of: •Hypertension ( 1.1 ) о Amlodipine besylate tablets are indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions.. This is a reference summary of labeled uses, not medical advice or a treatment recommendation.
- What class of drug is Amlodipine?
- Amlodipine is classified as Dihydropyridine derivatives, Calcium Channel Blocker, Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker, Calcium Channel Antagonists, Cytochrome P450 3A Inhibitors, L-Calcium Channel Receptor Antagonists, Coronary Arterial Vasodilation, Decreased Blood Pressure.
- What are the brand names for Amlodipine?
- Amlodipine is marketed under brand names including Azor, Caduet, Consensi, Exforge, Exforge HCT, Katerzia, Lotrel, Norliqva.
- What are the contraindications for Amlodipine?
- Amlodipine labeling lists contraindications including: Known sensitivity to amlodipine ( 4 ) Amlodipine besylate tablets are contraindicated in patients with known sensitivity to amlodipine.. Always consult the full prescribing information and a clinician.
amlodipine is illustrative MVP content compiled from public sources. pharmacopeia is for educational and informational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.