Tag Archives: Coronary Artery Disease

Buy Amlodipine

Medication To Treat Coronary Artery Disease and Angina Pectoris

Amlodipine is a long-acting calcium channel blockers. It is indicated for the treatment of hypertension or high blood pressure. It is also prescribed by doctors to treat conditions like:

  • Coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients without heart failure
  • Angina pectoris (chest pain) due to Coronary artery disease
  • Chronic stable angina due to activity and stress
  • Prinzmetal’s angina that occurs at rest

Lowering the blood pressure helps reduces the risk of patients from cardiovascular-related events such as heart attack and stroke. It also lowers the patient’s risk from having kidney problems, loss of vision and other problems.

Amlodipine belongs to the class of drug known as calcium channel blocker. This drug works by blocking the calcium from entering into the muscle along the walls of the blood vessels and into the heart muscle. Blocking the calcium widens the blood vessels thus improving the flow of blood and reducing the blood pressure. It relaxes the blood vessel so the heart won’t have to pump blood that hard.

How to use Amlodipine?

Amlodipine comes in a tablet of 2.5mg, 5mg and 10mg. Take this medication once a day. You can take it with or without food. The typical dose for an adult is 5mg a day with a maximum dose of 10mg a day. For adults who are fragile, small or have liver problems, they may start with 2.5mg a day. For children who are 6 to 17 years of age, their dose is 2.5 mg to 5 mg once a day. This medication may only control chest pain and blood pressure but it will not cure the underlying condition. Take this medication even if you feel well.

What are the side effects of amlodipine?

Some of the side effects of amlodipine are:

  • Headache
  • Flushing
  • Drowsiness
  • Stomach pain
  • Upset stomach
  • Excessive tiredness
  • Swelling of feet, hands, ankle and lower leg

Serious side effects are:

  • Fainting
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Severe chest pain

If you will experience side effects not mentioned above, seek medication attention right away.

Important Information

  • Take amlodipine exactly as directed. Do not skip a dose nor double up a dose for a missed one.
  • Do not take the medicine if you are allergic to its active ingredient and if you have very low blood pressure.
  • People with severe obstructive coronary artery disease may experience worsening of chest pain and heart attack at the initial phase of the treatment.

Amlodipine can cause low blood pressure in people with heart valve problems known as aortic stenosis.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a disease that occurs in the heart. It develops when there’s damage in the flow of blood in your arteries. This supplies blood into your heart.

CAD is a common form of heart disease. A heart attack is the first sign of CAD. It affects millions of people in the US. It’s also one of the leading causes of death to both men and women.

This condition can also lead to different complication. But there’s a way you can do to prevent and treat this kind of disease. A medication and lifestyle change can be of great help to decrease your risk.

What Causes Coronary Artery Disease?

The cause of this disease is a plaque that builds up in the wall of arteries. The damage may be caused by the following:

  • Smoking
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

The symptoms of CAD are the following:

  • Chest Pain (Angina)
  • Short Breathing
  • Chest Tightness
  • Numbness
  • Squeezing
  • Aching
  • Painful feeling
  • Burning
  • Heart Attack

The above-said symptoms may be mistaken as indigestion or heartburn.

Other symptoms that you may experience are:

  • Pain in the arms/shoulder
  • Sweating
  • Dizziness
  • Muscle Pain
  • Palpitations
  • Faster Heartbeat
  • Nausea

More symptoms are arising along the way if you’re blood flow becomes restricted. If the blockage will occur. It cut off your blood flow, this can result in a heart attack.

Seek for a medical attention. If you happen to experience the symptoms listed above.

SYMPTOMS OF CAD IN WOMEN

Women can experience the same symptoms. But they are more likely to experience the following:

  • Back Pain
  • Jaw pain
  • Short Breathing without chest pain
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea

DIAGNOSIS

In doing the diagnosis of CAD, it requires the following:

  • Review of your Medical History
  • Physical Exam
  • Other Medical Testing

After the doctor has done the above-said test. A different test will follow such as:

  • Electrocardiogram
  • Echocardiogram
  • Stress Test
  • Cardiac Catheterization
  • Heart CT scan

PREVENTION TIPS TO AVOID CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

The following are prevention tips to avoid developing the disease. And to improve your heart health such as:

  • Quit Smoking.
  • Stay physically active.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
  • Reduce and manage stress.
  • Control health condition (e.g high blood pressure, high cholesterol & diabetes)
  • Limit your alcohol.

HOW TO TREAT CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

The treatment for CAD requires a lifestyle change and medical drugs if needed. A medical procedure can also perform.

The drugs may include:

  • Aspirin
  • Beta Blockers
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Cholesterol-modifying Medication
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE)
  • Nitroglycerin
  • Ranolazine

Some option treatment may include:

  • Angioplasty and Stent Placement (percutaneous coronary revascularization)
  • Coronary Bypass Surgery
  • Enhanced External Counterpulsation

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FOR CAD:

  • Fish and Fish Oil
  • Flax and Flaxseed Oil
  • Omega-3 fatty acids

Other supplements include:

  • Artichoke
  • Barley
  • Beta-sitosterol
  • Cocoa
  • Garlic
  • Oat Bran
  • Sitostanol

Treating Conditions Caused By Coronary Artery Disease

High blood pressure is a common condition. But if it is left untreated can cause damage to Heart, Brain, blood vessels & kidney. Amlodipine is a drug used to treat high blood pressure i.e., hypertension. It is also useful in the treatment of chest pain (angina) and other condition caused by coronary artery disease. It belongs to the category of calcium channel blockers.

How does Amlodipine works?

Amlodipine belongs to the class of drugs known as calcium channel blockers. It lowers the high blood pressure. This prevents further danger of strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems. The above drug helps to lower the high blood pressure, by the following mechanism.

  1. The calcium channel blockers blocks the entry of calcium in the Vascular smooth muscle and heart muscle.
  2. Thus they reduce the electrical conduction within the heart.
  3. Decrease the force of work (contraction) of the muscle cells.
  4. Dilate the arteries of the heart.
  5. Dilation of the arteries reduce the blood pressure.
  6. All this changes reduces the effort of the heart to pump blood.

What are uses of Amlodipine?

Amlodipine is specifically used to lower the high blood pressure in the patient. But it also has many other uses as discussed below.

  1. It relaxes (widens) blood vessels.
  2. Improves blood flow.
  • Treats high blood pressure.
  1. Useful in treatment of chest pain (angina)
  2. Treats other conditions caused by coronary artery disease.
  3. Reduce the effort of heart to pump hard.
  • Help to increase your ability to exercise.

How to take Amlodipine?

It comes in the forms of tablets of strength 5mg and 10mg. The dose depends upon the following conditions.

  • Your age
  • The condition being treated.
  • How you react to the first dose.
  • Other medical conditions you have and
  • How severe is your condition.

What is the precaution in taking Amlodipine?

  • Do not take Amlodipine if you are allergic to it or any ingredients in the drug.
  • Check the progress with the use of the drug.
  • You should take extra care when exercising or when the weather is hot. Due to loss of water the blood pressure may decrease.
  • Don’t suddenly stop the use of medicine. Reduce it as per doctors’ advice.
  • Discusses with your dentist in case of tenderness, swelling or bleeding of your gums.
  • Inform your doctor about any other medicine you are taking. This will avoid risk of side effects.
  • This drug may make you feel dizzy. So avoid driving, use of machinery and other activity that require alertness until you feel fresh.
  • Discuss about the risk and benefits of the drug in pregnancy & breast feeding.

Cost of Amlodipine {Generic & Brand}

They both contain same basic active ingredients. So the mechanism of action & drug interactions remains same for both. The only difference is the price, packaging and Brand name of the company. This increases the cost of the Brand product. Generic medicines do not spent on research and other marketing aids. This amount is given as a profit to our buyers.

Here is the difference between the cost of the generic and the brand version.

Cost of Generic Amlodipine,

*5 mg tablet is $ 0.35 per unit .Pack of 60 costs $ 21.

*10 mg tablet is $0.42 per unit. Pack of 60 costs $ 25.

Cost of brand Norvasc,

*5 mg tablet is $ 6.35 per unit .Pack of 60 costs $ 381.51.

*10 mg tablet is $ 8.70 per unit. Pack of 60 costs $ 522.35.