Norvasc Canada (Generic Amlodipine)
Norvasc generic is a medicine for treating high blood pressure and chest pain due to angina. The drug is manufactured by Pfizer and its pharmaceutical name is amlodipine. In 2020, amlodipine was the fifth most commonly prescribed medication in the US with an estimated number of 69.7 million prescriptions. This drug is available in brand-name and generic versions. The average price for Norvasc is $8 per single tablet. Generic amlodipine can be purchased at $17 for a supply of 90 tablets. Norvasc and its generic versions are prescription drugs.
Mechanism of Action
Norvasc is a class II selective calcium channel blocker. It has a direct relaxing effect on the smooth muscles of the vessels. In patients with high blood pressure, this drug causes the blood vessels to relax, thus facilitating the passage of blood. In patients with angina pectoris, amlodipine improves the blood supply to the heart muscle and increases the flow of oxygen, thereby preventing the occurrence of pain in the chest. This drug does not provide immediate relief from chest pain due to angina pectoris.
Indications of Norvasc Generic
Norvasc is used to treat arterial hypertension or a certain type of chest pain known as angina. It can be used as monotherapy or in combination with other antihypertensive agents.
Contraindications
Norvasc should not be taken with the following conditions:
- Hypersensitivity (allergy) to amlodipine, other calcium antagonists, or any excipients of the
- Allergies can manifest by difficulty breathing, itching, and skin redness.
- Hypotension (low blood pressure).
- Aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) or cardiogenic shock (a condition in which
- the heart stops supplying enough blood).
- Heart failure due to a heart attack.
Norvasc should not be used in children under 6 years of age.
Use with caution
Liver and/or kidney failure, sick sinus syndrome (severe bradycardia, tachycardia), chronic heart failure in the stage of decompensation, mitral stenosis, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, acute myocardial infarction (and within 1 month after), diabetes mellitus, lipid profile disorders, old age. There is no data on the potential risks of taking Norvasc during pregnancy and lactation. The drug has been found to pass into breast milk. Before taking Norvasc during pregnancy and lactation, it is necessary to consult a physician.
Administration
Norvasc tablets are intended for oral administration. The initial dose for arterial hypertension and angina treatment is 5 mg 1 time per day. The dose can be increased to a maximum of 10 mg once daily. Grapefruit juice can increase the effect of Norvasc and lead to a more pronounced decrease in blood pressure.
Side effects of Norvasc Generic
Very often (>10%) there is fluid retention, manifested by edema.
Common (<10%) side effects include:
- Headache, dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, fatigue;
- Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea;
- Cardiopalmus
- Muscle cramps
- Impaired vision
Uncommon (<1%) side effects include:
- Mood changes, insomnia
- Trembling, taste disturbances,
- Numbness or tingling in the limbs,
- Ringing in the ears
- Sneezing/runny nose, cough
- Urination disorder, frequent urination
- Joint or muscle pain, back pain.
With prolonged use: pain in the limbs.
If one of the following reactions occurs after taking the medicine, immediately consult your doctor: allergic reactions; severe skin reactions, including severe skin rash, urticaria, redness of the skin of the whole body, severe itching, blistering, peeling, swelling of the skin, and inflammation of the mucous membranes.
- swelling of the eyelids, face, or lips;
- sudden wheezing, chest pain, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing;
- swelling of the tongue and pharynx, making breathing very difficult
- violation of the heart rhythm;
- inflammation of the pancreas, which can manifest itself as severe pain in the abdomen and back, accompanied by a feeling of severe malaise.
A complete list of side effects can be found in the drug leaflet.
Norvasc Generic Overdose
Overdose symptoms include a pronounced decrease in blood pressure with the possible development of reflex tachycardia and excessive peripheral vasodilation (the risk of severe and persistent arterial circulating blood volume and diuresis. hypotension, including the development of shock and death).
Treatment: gastric lavage, administration of activated charcoal (especially in the first 2 hours after an overdose), maintenance of the heart function, control of heart and lung indicators, elevating the legs, control of circulating blood volume.
Control of vehicles and mechanisms
Due to the possible excessive decrease in blood pressure, the development of dizziness, drowsiness, and other adverse reactions, caution should be exercised when driving a car or manipulating dangerous machinery, especially at the beginning of treatment and when increasing the dose.
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