What Factors Affect a Sufficient Amlodipine Dose?

A sufficient amlodipine dose is affected by factors such as the condition being treated, the age of the patient taking the drug and his or her size and fragility. The dosage also can be reduced if the patient has liver problems. An adult taking amlodipine for hypertension requires a dose of 5 milligrams per day, but this reduces to 2.5 milligrams per day if the patient is elderly, a child or particularly small or fragile. The sufficient amlodipine dose for patients who have angina pectoris or coronary artery disease can be 5-10 milligrams per day.

Amlodipine is classified as a calcium channel blocker, which means that the drug reduces the amount of calcium that is transported to the muscles that surround the coronary arteries. Calcium is a vital part of muscle contraction, so the reduction of the amount of calcium that reaches the muscles causes a reduction in the contraction of the muscles themselves. The contraction of the muscle wall surrounding the coronary arteries is a cause of chest pain associated with angina. By reducing this contraction in the coronary artery and other arteries in the body, the drug can be used to treat high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and angina.

The main factors that affects the required amlodipine dose are the size and age of the patient. Children and the elderly require 2.5 milligrams of the drug per day if it is being taken for high blood pressure, which is also called hypertension. Children can take up to 5 milligrams of the drug per day for this condition if it doesn’t respond to the lower dosage, which is also the standard adult dosage. Particularly small or fragile adults might be given a 2.5-milligram daily dose, however. The elderly take the same amlodipine dose as adults for angina pectoris.

Different conditions also require alterations to the amlodipine dose, but the amount required is similar across conditions. The adult dosage for angina pectoris is 5-10 milligrams per day, meaning that if the patient responds well to the treatment, he or she might take the same amount as required for hypertension. Despite the possibility of a lower dose, if the patient has chronic or vasospastic angina, he or she is more likely to need a 10-milligram dosage to feel the drug’s effects. If patients also have a liver condition, they might require a reduced amlodipine dose. This is 2.5 milligrams for hypertension and as low as 5 milligrams for chronic and vasospastic angina.