My New Meds~ Amlodipine

The new medication that was prescribed to me last weekend at the hospital is called 'Amlodipine.
This medication is being taken to treat my angina. It is a long acting calcium channel blocker.

What is a Calcium channel Blocker? Calcium channel blockers are a class of drugs and natural substances which disrupt the conduction of calcium channels.^[1] It has effects on many excitable cells of the body, and in this case we are referring to the cardiac muscle. Most calcium channel blockers decrease the force of contraction of the myocardium (muscle of the heart).

How does Amlodipine work? Amlodipine affects the movement of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels. As a result, amlodipine relaxes blood vessels and increases the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart while reducing its workload.

The most common side effects:

• Swelling or water retention (edema) -- in up to 10.8 percent of people
• Feelings of a rapidly or forcefully beating heart (heart palpitations) -- up to 4.5 percent
• Fatigue -- up to 4.5 percent
• Dizziness -- up to 3.4 percent
• Nausea -- up to 2.9 percent
• Flushing (redness of the skin, especially the face) -- up to 2.6 percent
• Abdominal pain (stomach pain) -- up to 1.6 percent
• Drowsiness -- up to 1.4 percent.