Norvasc

Norvasc is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain (angina). Norvasc belongs to a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers, which help relax blood vessels. This makes it easier for the heart to pump blood.

This medication comes in tablet form and is usually taken once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects include headache, swelling of legs or ankles, and nausea. Norvasc can also cause dizziness and tiredness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you.

Norvasc is a prescription medicine used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and chest pain (angina) in adults and children.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Pfizer Laboratories

Norvasc may cause serious side effects. See "Norvasc Precautions" section.

Norvasc may cause the following mild or moderate side effects:

• headache
• leg or ankle swelling
• tiredness, extreme sleepiness
• stomach pain, nausea
• dizziness
• flushing (hot or warm feeling in the face)
• arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
• heart palpitations (very fast heartbeat)

This is not a complete list of Norvasc side effects. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Taztia XT, Tiazac and others)
• ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• itraconazole (Sporanox)
• ritonavir (Norvir)
• simvastatin

This is not a complete list of Norvasc drug interactions. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Norvasc may cause serious side effects, including : 

• Low blood pressure (hypotension). Norvasc may cause low blood pressure, especially in people that have a condition called severe aortic stenosis. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel faint or lightheaded. 
• Worsening chest pain (angina) or heart attack. Norvasc may cause worsening chest pain or heart attack after starting or increasing your dose, especially in people with a condition called severe obstructive coronary artery disease. If that happens, call your healthcare provider right away or go directly to a hospital emergency room.

Do not take Norvasc if you are allergic to amlodipine or to any of the ingredients in Norvasc.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Norvasc there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Norvasc.

Tell your doctor about any prescription and non-prescription medicines you are taking, including natural or herbal remedies. Tell your doctor if you:

• ever had heart disease
• ever had liver problems
• are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. Your doctor will decide if Norvasc is the best treatment for you.
• are breastfeeding. Do not breast feed while taking Norvasc. You can stop breastfeeding or take a different medicine.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Norvasc falls into category C. There are no good studies in pregnant women. Norvasc should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. It is not known if Norvasc will harm your unborn baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. It is not known if Norvasc is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.

• Norvasc comes as a tablet to be taken by mouth, with or without food.
• It is usually taken once a day. 
• Take this medicine at about the same time each day, such as with breakfast or dinner, or at bedtime.
• If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember.
• Do not take Norvasc if it has been more than 12 hours since you missed your last dose. Wait and take the next dose at your regular time. Never take two doses at one time.

Take Norvasc exactly as prescribed. Follow the directions on your prescription label very carefully. Your doctor will determine your dose based on your age, the condition being treated, other medical conditions you have, as well as other medicines you are taking.

The recommended adult starting dose is 5 mg taken once daily. The dose may be increased to 10 mg daily, if necessary.

In children as young as six years old with high blood pressure, the recommended starting Norvasc dose is 2.5 mg to 5 mg taken once daily.

If you take too much Norvasc call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If Norvasc is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store Norvasc tablets at room temperature (between 59° and 86°F), away from light and moisture.
• Do not store this medicine in the bathroom. 
• Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.