Amlodipine
Also known as: Istin
What it's for
Amlodipine lowers high blood pressure and treats angina (chest pain). It relaxes blood vessels, making it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body.
Comes as: Tablets
How to take it
- Adults: Usually 5mg once a day. Your doctor may increase this to 10mg.
- Take at the same time each day.
- You can take it with or without food.
- It may take a few weeks to work fully.
Doses here are typical. Always follow the instructions from your prescriber or on the packet — they come first.
Common side effects
- Swollen ankles
- Headaches
- Flushing (feeling warm in your face)
- Feeling tired or dizzy
The leaflet inside the packet lists all known side effects.
Important safety points
- Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice - they affect how this medicine works
- Tell your doctor if you have heart, liver, or kidney problems
- Do not stop taking it suddenly - your blood pressure may rise quickly
- May make you feel dizzy - take care when driving
Get medical help urgently if…
- You have chest pain that does not go away
- Your heartbeat becomes very fast, slow, or irregular
- You have severe dizziness or fainting
- You have severe swelling in your legs
Call NHS 111 for urgent advice, or 999 if someone is seriously unwell.
Before you act on anything here
This page is general information, written to help you understand — it is not personal medical advice and it cannot tell you what is right for you. Talk to your own GP, pharmacist or nurse about your own health.
- Need help now but it's not an emergency? Call NHS 111 or use 111.nhs.uk.
- Emergency? Call 999 or go to A&E.