Felodipine

Felodipine is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure. Felodipine belongs to a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers, which work by relaxing the blood vessels, making it easier for the heart to pump blood.

This medication comes in an extended release tablet form and is taken once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of felodipine include swelling, flushing, and headache. Felodipine can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how felodipine affects you.

Felodipine is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure, medically known as hypertension.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Felodipine may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Lexxel

• Plendil

Serious side effects have been reported with felodipine. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of felodipine include:

• swelling (medically known as “edema”)
• headache
• flushing
• cough
• dizziness

This is not a complete list of felodipine side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• beta blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), atenolol (Tenormin), and carvedilol (Coreg)
• medications that decrease the activity of the enzyme CYP3A4 such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), nefazodone (Serzone), posaconazole (Noxafil), telithromycin (Ketek), cimetidine (Tagamet), and erythromycin (Erythrocin, EES, Ery-Tab)
• anticonvulsant medications such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Equetro, Tegretol), and phenobarbital
• tacrolimus (Prograf)

This is not a complete list of felodipine drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with felodipine including:

• hypotension. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, may cause you to feel faint or dizzy. Inadequate fluid intake, excessive sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting can lead to an excessive fall in blood pressure, too. Lie down if you feel faint or dizzy. Call your doctor right away.
• congestive heart failure (CHF). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any of the following symptoms of CHF:
  • sudden weight gain
  • worsening shortness of breath
  • increased swelling of your feet, legs, or abdomen
  • needing more pillows or sleeping in a recliner
  • waking from sleep to catch your breath
  • a cough that does not go away
  • new or increasing irregularities in your heart rate
• gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth of the gums). Felodipine has been reported to cause gingival hyperplasia. Practicing good dental hygiene may decrease this occurrence or the severity.

Felodipine can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how felodipine affects you.

Do not take felodipine if you are allergic to felodipine or to any of this medication’s ingredients.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with felodipine and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.

Before taking felodipine, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• have or have had a hypersensitivity (allergic) reaction to felodipine or to any of its ingredients
• have liver or kidney problems
• have heart problems
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Felodipine falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. There are no well-controlled trials that have been done in humans, though. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if felodipine crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using felodipine.

Take felodipine exactly as prescribed.

Felodipine comes in an extended release tablet form and is taken once a day. It should regularly be taken either without food or with a light meal (choose one or the other).

Felodipine should be swallowed whole and not crushed or chewed.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of felodipine at the same time.

Take felodipine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The recommended dosage range is 2.5−10 mg once daily. Dose adjustment may be necessary in those with liver impairment.

If you take too much felodipine call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store felodipine below 30°C (86°F).
• Keep container tightly closed.
• Protect from light.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.