PENDIDIKAN PESAKIT Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
Indication
Antihypertensive
Dose
Doses are individualized depending on patient’s condition. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist for the suggestion of treatment for your hypertension. Once you are started on your hypertension medication, take the medication regularly and according to instructions.
Administration
Generally, it is advisable to be after meals to reduce stomach discomfort. Otherwise, refer product insert for specific instruction:
| Generic Name | Administration |
|
Nifedipine
|
With or without food. Avoid grapefruit juice. |
|
Amlodipne
|
With or without food. |
|
Felodipine
|
Take with or without food or with a light meal. |
Mechanism Of Action
CCBs bind to L-type calcium channels located on the vascular smooth muscle, cardiac myocytes, and cardiac nodal tissue (sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes). These channels are responsible for regulating the influx of calcium into muscle cells, which in turn stimulate smooth muscle contraction and cardiac myocyte contraction.
By blocking calcium entry into the cell, CCBs cause vascular smooth muscle relaxation (vasodilation), decrease myocardial force generation (negative inotropy), decrease heart rate (negative chronotropy), and decrease conduction velocity within the heart (negative dromotropy). By causing vascular smooth muscle relaxation, CCBs decrease systemic vascular resistance, which lowers arterial blood pressure.
Side Effects
Side effects for each drugs are individualized. Most common side effects for each drugs are listed below:
| Generic Name | Possible Common Side Effects Include |
| Nifedipine | Headache, oedema, constipation, feeling unwell |
| Amlodipne | Oedema, headache, dizziness, fatigue, somnolence (drowsiness or sleepiness), nausea, abdominal pain |
| Felodipine | Flushing, headache, palpitation, dizziness, fatigue, peripheral oedema (swollen of the feet or hand due to fluid retention) |
Consult your doctors or pharmacists if you are facing any side effects from the antihypertensive drugs that you are taking.
Storage
Advisable to keep in the original envelopes with instruction on how to take clearly stated on its label. Keep at room temperature otherwise, refer product insert for specific temperature storage.
For further information, refer MyHealth web site ‘Cara Penyimpanan Ubat Yang Betul’.
References
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology Concepts. http://www.cvpharmacology.com/vasodilator/CCB
- http://pharmacologycorner.com/mechanism-of-action-video
- British National Formulary (BNF) 61 March 2011
- MIMS 128th Edition 2012
- ‘Cara Penyimpanan Ubat Yang Betul’. http://www.myhealth.gov.my/v2/index.php/my/ubat-a-anda/umum/cara-penyimpanan-ubat-yang-betul
- Mechanism of Action of Calcium Channel Blocke. http://www.cvpharmacology.com/Acilliary/search
| Last Reviewed | : | 2 March 2016 |
| Writer | : | Azura Binti Musa |
| Translator | : | Azura Binti Musa |
| Accreditor | : | Dr. Siti Norlina Binti Md. Said |
