Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). If you have high blood pressure, taking amlodipine can help to prevent future heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.
It is also used to prevent chest pain caused by heart disease (angina).
Amlodipine helps high blood pressure by relaxing and widening blood vessels. This lowers your blood pressure and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body.
With angina, you usually get chest pain because the arteries going to the heart have become hardened and narrowed. Amlodipine helps by improving the blood and oxygen supply to your heart.
This medicine is only available on prescription. It comes as tablets or as a liquid you swallow.
Key facts
- You'll usually take amlodipine once a day. You can take it at any time, but try to make sure it's around the same time each day.
- Amlodipine can make some people feel dizzy. If this happens to you, do not drive a car, ride a bike, or use tools or machinery until you feel better.
- The most common side effects include headaches, flushing, feeling tired and swollen ankles. These usually improve after a few days.
- Amlodipine can also be called amlodipine besilate, amlodipine maleate or amlodipine mesilate. They have different ingredients but they all work as well as each other.
- Having large amounts of grapefruit or grapefruit juice can increase the amount of amlodipine in your body and make side effects worse.
Page last reviewed: 18 February 2022
Next review due: 18 February 2025
