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Drugs and Medicinal Substances

Amlodipine

Cardiovascular System Agents

Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker taken orally to treat high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and variant, or Prinzmetal, angina caused by coronary artery spasm. It works by inhibiting the movement of calcium ions into vascular smooth muscle and cardiac muscle cells, which relaxes the arteries, widens them and reduces the force of cardiac muscle contraction. The drug was patented in 1982 and approved for medical use in 1990; Pfizer's patent on the brand name Norvasc expired in 2007, and by 2023 amlodipine had become the fifth most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than sixty eight million prescriptions, and it appears on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.

Facts
Drug Class
Calcium channel blocker 1
Mechanism of Action
Angioselective calcium channel blocker that inhibits the movement of calcium ions into vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiac muscle cells, inhibiting contraction of cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle 1
Approved Use
High blood pressure, coronary artery disease and variant angina 1
First Approved / Isolated Year
1990 1
Significant Risk
Low blood pressure or heart attack 1
Classification
Approval Status
Approved 1
ATC ClassSourced to the subject's own account
C: Cardiovascular System 2
Route of Administration
Oral 3
WHO Essential MedicineSourced to the subject's own account
Core List 4
Sources
1. Amlodipine - Wikipedia
  • Lead section, first sentence (drug class)
    is a calcium channel blocker medication
  • Article body, sentence beginning 'Amlodipine is an angioselective calcium channel blocker'
    Amlodipine is an angioselective calcium channel blocker and inhibits the movement of calcium ions into vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiac muscle cells which inhibits the contraction of cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle cells.
  • Lead section, first sentence (medical use)
    used to treat high blood pressure, coronary artery disease (CAD) and variant angina
  • Article body, sentence beginning 'Amlodipine was patented in 1982'
    Amlodipine was patented in 1982, and approved for medical use in 1990.
  • Lead section, sentence beginning 'Serious side effects may include'
    Serious side effects may include low blood pressure or heart attack.
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amlodipine, lead section
    Amlodipine, sold under the brand name Norvasc among others, is a calcium channel blocker medication used to treat high blood pressure, coronary artery disease (CAD) and variant angina (also called Prinzmetal angina or coronary artery vasospasm, among other names). It is taken orally (swallowed by mouth).
  • Regulatory approval status
View the Source
2. Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFirst-level anatomical group codes, Code C
Quote, First-level anatomical group codes, Code C
Cardiovascular system
View the Source
3. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
4. WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (Wikipedia)
WikipediaWHO Model List of Essential Medicines, Antihypertensive medicines section
Quote, WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, Antihypertensive medicines section
Amlodipine
View the Source
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