Amlodipine (amlodipine besylate)

The US label lists amlodipine to lower blood pressure in hypertension. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

It is also listed for chronic stable angina and vasospastic (Prinzmetal's) angina, and for coronary artery disease without heart failure.

It may be used alone or with other blood pressure or angina medicines.

The label says many patients need more than one medicine to reach blood pressure goals.

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Chronic stable angina
• Vasospastic (variant) angina
• Coronary artery disease

The label describes amlodipine as a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker.

It blocks calcium from entering vascular smooth muscle and heart muscle cells, with a greater effect on blood vessels than on the heart.

This relaxes the arteries, lowers resistance to blood flow and lowers blood pressure.

Its onset is gradual because it binds to and leaves its target slowly.

This page uses the US label for amlodipine besylate tablets taken by mouth. The dosing below is the adult label dosing.

For high blood pressure, the US label gives a usual starting dose of 5 mg once daily, with a maximum of 10 mg once daily.

Small, fragile or elderly patients, or those with liver impairment, may start at 2.5 mg once daily.

The label says to wait 7 to 14 days between dose steps, unless a faster change is needed.

For angina, the label gives 5 to 10 mg, with the lower dose suggested for elderly patients and those with liver impairment. Most patients needed 10 mg.

For coronary artery disease, the label gives 5 to 10 mg once daily.

For children aged 6 to 17 years with high blood pressure, the label describes 2.5 to 5 mg once daily. It has not studied higher doses in children.

Indian pack labels may differ. Your prescriber's instruction always wins over a general label.

• Once daily on the label
• Dose steps are spaced 7 to 14 days apart
• Lower starting dose for frail, elderly or liver impairment

The label says amlodipine is not for people with known sensitivity to it.

Symptomatic low blood pressure is possible, particularly in severe aortic stenosis.

People with severe obstructive coronary artery disease can have worse angina or a heart attack when starting or raising the dose.

In severe liver impairment the dose should be raised slowly, because amlodipine clears more slowly.

In older people, the label notes lower clearance and that a lower starting dose may be needed.

For pregnancy, the label says there are too few human data to judge risk. Poorly controlled blood pressure itself carries risks in pregnancy.

A small study found amlodipine in breast milk, and no effects on breastfed infants were seen.

• Severe aortic stenosis
• Severe obstructive coronary artery disease
• Severe liver impairment
• Older age
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

• CYP3A inhibitors and inducers
• Sildenafil
• Simvastatin (limit 20 mg daily)
• Ciclosporin and tacrolimus
• The label lists several interactions.
• Medicines that block CYP3A (moderate and strong) can raise amlodipine levels.
• Watch for low blood pressure and swelling, as the dose may need lowering.
• Medicines that induce CYP3A may change levels, so blood pressure should be monitored closely.
• Sildenafil with amlodipine needs monitoring for low blood pressure.
• Amlodipine raises simvastatin exposure, so simvastatin should be limited to 20 mg daily.
• It may raise ciclosporin (cyclosporine) or tacrolimus levels, which need frequent blood checks.

No match in this label text. Ask your pharmacist about any medicine you take.

The label says overdose may cause marked low blood pressure with a fast heartbeat.

It advises heart and breathing monitoring and blood pressure checks in a massive overdose. Dialysis is unlikely to help.

Get urgent medical help after any overdose.

The label says to store the tablets at 20 to 25 degrees C in tight, light-resistant containers.

Keep medicines out of reach of children.

Amlodipine is listed in the Drugs Rules 1945 Schedules we checked (Schedule H, serial 26 (rules 65 and 97)).

A Schedule H medicine is sold only against a prescription.

Amlodipine is on the National List of Essential Medicines 2022 in these forms: Tablet 2.5 mg (page 88); Tablet 5 mg (page 88); Tablet 10 mg (page 88).

NPPA ceiling prices exist for scheduled formulations of amlodipine. They are in the table below.

The Jan Aushadhi (PMBJP) list we checked has 11 product row(s) that mention amlodipine.

We found no entry for a banned fixed-dose combination that mentions amlodipine in the list we checked.

The NPPA ceiling is the highest price per unit for a scheduled formulation, as in the list date shown for each row.

The prices below are per unit. Check the pack and seller, because prices can be revised after those dates.

Jan Aushadhi lists the products below that mention amlodipine. We did not capture a price for them, so check the store or the official list.

• Tablet 2.5mg, per 1 Tablet: ceiling INR 1.83 (Cardiovascular, As on March, 2026)
• Tablet 5mg, per 1 Tablet: ceiling INR 2.56 (Cardiovascular, As on March, 2026)
• Tablet 10mg, per 1 Tablet: ceiling INR 5.58 (Cardiovascular, As on March, 2026)
• Tablet 10 mg, per 1 Tablet: ceiling INR 5.05 (All scheduled (NLEM 2015), As on 30.09.2020)
• Tablet 2.5 mg, per 1 Tablet: ceiling INR 1.65 (All scheduled (NLEM 2015), As on 30.09.2020)
• Tablet 5mg, per 1 Tablet: ceiling INR 2.60 (All scheduled (NLEM 2015), As on 30.09.2020)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine 5mg and Atenolol 50mg Tablets IP, pack 10's (row p9:sno204)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine Tablets IP 5mg, pack 10's (row p9:sno205)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine 5mg and Lisinopril 5mg Tablets IP, pack 15's (row p10:sno224)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine 5mg and Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg Tablets, pack 10's (row p15:sno342)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine Besilate 5mg and Bisoprolol Fumarate 5mg Tablets, pack 10's (row p38:sno848)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine Tablet IP 10mg, pack 10's (row p58:sno1291)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine 5 mg, Losartan Potassium 50 mg & Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg Tablets, pack 10's (row p66:sno1452)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine 5mg and Perindopril 4mg Tablets, pack 10's (row p66:sno1453)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine Tablets IP 2.5mg, pack 15's (row p78:sno1703)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine + Enalapril Tablet (5/5 Mg), pack 10's (row p92:sno1997)
• Jan Aushadhi: Amlodipine + Indapamide Tablet (5/1.5 Mg), pack 10's (row p92:sno1998)