Amlodipine besylate -- often refered to as amlodipine -- is prescribed by doctors to treat high blood pressure and chest pain. These conditions often co-exist with high cholesterol levels. Getting all of them under control is central to minimizing the risk of heart disease. If you are treated for both hypertension and high cholesterol, be sure to let your doctor know every drug that you are taking because amlodipine interacts with a drug used to treat high cholesterol.
Uses
Amlodipine doesn't work quite as well as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, better known as ACE inhibitors, such as benazepril and others. Often it is prescribed when the patient has adverse side effects from ACE inhibitors, or when ACE inhibitors do not lower blood pressure sufficiently. Amlodipine is also often prescribed with an angiotensin receptor blocker, or ARB, such as valsartan.
Calcium Channel Blockers
Amlodipine ends with the suffix "ipine", indicating that it is a member of a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers or CCBs. The membrane of nerve cells has pores called channels that are specific to different types of ion, or charged atoms. The voltage gradient across that membrane is controlled by the flow of ions through the channel. By blocking the calcium channel, CCBs relax the walls of blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is fatty acid that is an essential part of cell membranes. While some cholesterol is necessary, high levels of cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease. Minimizing the intake of high cholesterol animal products, such as meat and cheese, is helpful in reducing serum cholesterol. If dietary changes are not sufficient by themselves, doctors often prescribe a statin-type drug.
Interaction with Simvastatin
Amlodipine interacts with the commonly-prescribed cholesterol drug simvastatin. Amlodipine slows down the metabolism of simvastatin in the liver, resulting in higher concentrations of simvastatin in the blood, which can be toxic to musculoskeletal tissue. Amlodipine does not slow down the metabolism of other statin-type drugs, so there are many alternatives to prevent this drug interaction.
References
- PubMed Health Amlodipine; July 2010
- Drugs.com: Drug Interactions Between Ezetimibe/Simvastatin and Norvasc
- Drugs.com: Amlodipine Besylate
- "General Physiology and Biophysics"; Voltage-Dependent Calcium Channels; L. Lacinová; June 2005
- Mayo Clinic; Statins: Are these Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Right for You?; February 2010
