The tablets contain amlodipine besylate equivalent to 5 mg and 10 mg amlodipine. Excipients/Inactive Ingredients: Microcrystalline cellulose, anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate, sodium starch glycolate and magnesium stearate.
Action
Pharmacology:Pharmacodynamics: Amlodipine is a calcium ion-influx inhibitor (slow channel blocker or calcium ion antagonist) and inhibits the transmembrane influx of calcium ions into cardiac and vascular smooth muscle.
The mechanism of the antihypertensive action of amlodipine is due to a direct relaxant effect on vascular smooth muscle. The precise mechanism by which amlodipine relieves angina has not been fully determined but amlodipine reduces total ischemic burden by the following two actions: Amlodipine dilates peripheral arterioles and thus, reduces the total peripheral resistance (afterload) against which the heart works. Since the heart rate remains stable, this unloading of the heart reduces myocardial energy consumption and oxygen requirements.
The mechanism of action of amlodipine probably involves dilatation of the main coronary arteries and coronary arterioles, both in normal and ischemic regions. This dilatation increases myocardial oxygen delivery in patients with coronary artery spasm (Prinzmetal's or variant angina) and blunts smoking-induced coronary vasoconstriction.
In patients with hypertension, once-daily dosing provides clinically significant reductions of blood pressure in both the supine and standing positions throughout the 24-hour interval. Due to the slow onset of action, acute hypotension is not a feature of amlodipine administration.
In patients with angina, once-daily administration of amlodipine increases total exercise time, time to angina onset and time to 1 mm ST segment depression, and decreases both angina attack frequency and nitroglycerin tablet consumption.
Amlodipine has not been associated with any adverse metabolic effects or changes in plasma lipids and is suitable for use in patients with asthma, diabetes and gout.
Use in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: The effects of amlodipine on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, the progression of coronary atherosclerosis, and carotid atherosclerosis were studied in the Prospective Randomized Evaluation of the Vascular Effects of Norvasc Trial (PREVENT). This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study followed 825 patients with angiographically defined CAD for 3 years. The population included patients with previous MI (45%), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) at baseline (42%), or history of angina (69%). The severity of CAD ranged from 1- vessel disease (45%) to 3+ vessel disease (21%). Patients with uncontrolled hypertension [diastolic blood pressure (DBP) >95 mmHg] were excluded from the study. Major cardiovascular events were adjudicated by a blinded endpoint committee. Although there were no demonstrable effects on the rate of progression of coronary artery lesions, amlodipine arrested the progression of carotid intima-media thickening. A significant reduction (-31%) was observed in amlodipine-treated patients in the combined endpoint of cardiovascular death, MI, stroke, PTCA, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), hospitalization for unstable angina, and worsening congestive heart failure (CHF). A significant reduction (-42%) in revascularization procedures (PTCA and CABG) was also seen in amlodipine-treated patients. Fewer hospitalizations (-33%) were seen for unstable angina in amlodipine-treated patients than in the placebo group.
The efficacy of amlodipine in preventing clinical events in patients with CAD has been evaluated in an independent, multicenter, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study of 1997 patients, Comparison of Amlodipine versus Enalapril to Limit Occurrences of Thrombosis (CAMELOT). Of these patients, 663 were treated with amlodipine 5 mg to 10 mg and 655 patients were treated with placebo, in addition to standard care of statins, beta-blockers, diuretics, and aspirin, for 2 years. The key efficacy results are presented in Table 1. The results indicate that amlodipine treatment was associated with fewer hospitalizations for angina and revascularization procedures in patients with CAD. (See Table 1.)