Pregnancy Risk Category C
How supplied
Tablets: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg
Action
Inhibits calcium ion influx across cardiac and smooth-muscle cells, thus decreasing myocardial contractility and oxygen demand; also dilates coronary arteries and arterioles.
Indications & dosage
Chronic stable angina, vasospastic angina (Prinzmetal's or variant angina)--
Adults: initially, 5 to 10 mg P.O. daily. Most patients require 10 mg daily.
Elderly: initially, 5 mg P.O. daily.
Adjust-a-dose: For small, frail patients or those with hepatic insufficiency, initially 5 mg P.O. daily.
Hypertension--
Adults: initially, 2.5 to 5 mg P.O. daily. Dosage adjusted according to patient response and tolerance. Maximum daily dose is 10 mg.
Elderly: initially, 2.5 mg P.O. daily.
Adjust-a-dose: For small, frail, patients; those currently receiving other antihypertensives; or those with hepatic insufficiency, initially 2.5 mg P.O. daily.
Adverse reactions
CNS: headache, somnolence, fatigue, dizziness, light-headedness, paresthesia.
CV: edema, flushing, palpitations.
GI: nausea, abdominal pain.
Musculoskeletal: muscle pain.
Respiratory: dyspnea.
Skin: rash, pruritus.
Interactions
None significant.
Effects on diagnostic tests
None reported.
Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to drug.
Nursing considerations
Patient teaching
*Liquid contains alcohol. **May contain tartrazine. †Canada ‡Australia §U.K. OTCOver the counter
Reactions may be common, uncommon, life-threatening, or COMMON AND LIFE-THREATENING