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What Is Amlodipine?

Amlodipine is a prescription calcium channel blocker used for hypertension and certain forms of coronary artery disease. It comes as oral tablets in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg strengths. Adults commonly start at 5 mg once daily, while selected older adults and people with liver impairment start at 2.5 mg once daily. The adult maximum is 10 mg once daily.

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What Is Amlodipine?

Amlodipine is a prescription calcium channel blocker used for hypertension and certain forms of coronary artery disease. It comes as oral tablets in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg strengths. Adults commonly start at 5 mg once daily, while selected older adults and people with liver impairment start at 2.5 mg once daily. The adult maximum is 10 mg once daily.

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How Does Amlodipine Lower Blood Pressure?

Amlodipine blocks calcium entry into vascular smooth muscle cells more strongly than into heart muscle cells. Reduced calcium entry relaxes arterial smooth muscle and lowers peripheral vascular resistance, which decreases blood pressure. The medicine also dilates coronary arteries and reduces cardiac workload, actions that contribute to its use in chronic stable angina and vasospastic angina.

Which Conditions Are Treated With Amlodipine?

Amlodipine is approved for hypertension in adults and pediatric patients age 6 to 17. It is also used in adults with chronic stable angina, vasospastic angina, and angiographically documented coronary artery disease without heart failure or an ejection fraction below 40 percent. It can be used alone or with other antihypertensive or antianginal medicines.

How Are Amlodipine Tablets Dosed?

Adults with hypertension commonly start with 5 mg once daily and can increase to 10 mg once daily according to blood pressure response. Selected older adults, smaller adults, and people with liver impairment start at 2.5 mg once daily. Pediatric patients age 6 to 17 use 2.5 mg to 5 mg once daily. Higher pediatric doses have not been studied.

What Safety Concerns Are Linked to Amlodipine?

Swelling of the ankles or legs is the most common adverse reaction and occurs more often at higher doses. Other reported effects include fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, and sleepiness. Symptomatic low blood pressure can occur, especially with severe aortic stenosis. Worsening angina or acute myocardial infarction can occur after starting treatment or increasing the dose in severe obstructive coronary artery disease.

Frequently Asked Questions About Amlodipine

Is amlodipine a calcium channel blocker?

Yes. Amlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker that acts mainly on vascular smooth muscle.

Does amlodipine treat high blood pressure?

Yes. Amlodipine is approved for hypertension and is taken once daily for blood pressure control.

What strengths does amlodipine come in?

Current tablet labeling lists 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg strengths.

Can children take amlodipine?

Amlodipine is used for hypertension in patients age 6 to 17 at labeled doses of 2.5 mg to 5 mg once daily.

References

Amlodipine. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a692044.html. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.

Amlodipine. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519508/. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.

DailyMed - AMLODIPINE BESYLATE tablet. https://www.dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=4926f00c-ee19-3e10-e054-00144ff88e88. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.

New Pediatric Labeling Information Database - Norvasc (amlodipine). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/sda/sdDetailNavigation.cfm?id=14CE0322582B1B7DE053564DA8C071F2&rownum=651&sd=labelingdatabase. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.

NORVASC (amlodipine besylate) Prescribing Information. https://labeling.pfizer.com/ShowLabeling.aspx?format=PDF&id=562. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.