What is the most important information I should know about felodipine?
You should not use felodipine if you are allergic to it.
Before taking felodipine, tell your doctor if you have liver disease or congestive heart failure.
Many drugs can interact with felodipine. Tell your doctor about all other medications you use.
Your blood pressure will need to be checked often and you may need other blood tests at your doctor's office. Visit your doctor regularly.
Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.
Brush and floss your teeth regularly while taking this medication. Felodipine can cause mild swelling of your gums, which may be avoided with good dental hygiene.
What is felodipine?
Felodipine is in a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by relaxing the muscles of your heart and blood vessels.
Felodipine is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).
Felodipine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking felodipine?
You should not use felodipine if you are allergic to it.
If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests:
- liver disease; or
- congestive heart failure.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether felodipine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication..
It is not known whether felodipine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take felodipine?
Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.
You make felodipine without food or a light meal, but take it the same way each time.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow it whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
Call your doctor if you have ongoing vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than usual. These conditions can lead to severely low blood pressure.
Your blood pressure will need to be checked often and you may need other blood tests at your doctor's office. Visit your doctor regularly.
Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.
Brush and floss your teeth regularly while taking this medication. Felodipine can cause mild swelling of your gums, which may be avoided with good dental hygiene.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include severe dizziness, slow heart rate, redness or tingling in your arms and legs, and feeling like you might pass out.
What should I avoid while taking felodipine?
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with felodipine and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
Drinking alcohol can lower your blood pressure further and may increase certain side effects of felodipine.
What are the possible side effects of felodipine?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
- feeling like you might pass out;
- feeling short of breath, swelling in your hands or feet;
- fast or pounding heartbeats;
- numbness or tingly feeling; or
- chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling.
Less serious side effects may include:
- headache, dizziness, drowsiness, weakness;
- feeling restless or nervous;
- nausea, upset stomach, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain;
- sleep problems (insomnia);
- joint pain or muscle cramps;
- warmth, redness, or tingly feeling under your skin;
- mild rash;
- urinating more than usual; or
- cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect felodipine?
Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:
- cimetidine (Tagamet);
- conivaptan (Vaprisol);
- imatinib (Gleevec);
- isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis);
- tacrolimus (Prograf);
- an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), dalfopristin/quinupristin (Synercid), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), or telithromycin (Ketek);
- antifungal medication such as clotrimazole (Mycelex Troche), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or voriconazole (Vfend);
- an antidepressant such as nefazodone;
- a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others;
- HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), saquinavir (Invirase), or ritonavir (Norvir);
- other heart or blood pressure medications such as diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem), nifedipine (Nifedical, Procardia), verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan), and others; or
- seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), phenobarbital (Solfoton), or phenytoin (Dilantin).
This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with felodipine. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about felodipine.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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