For hypertension patients who take amlodipine for a long time, two problems must be clarified! Worth seeing

We all know that hypertension is a chronic disease. Once suffering from hypertension, it is basically necessary to take long-term antihypertensive drugs to control blood pressure

We all know that hypertension is a chronic disease. Once suffering from hypertension, it is basically necessary to take long-term antihypertensive drugs to control blood pressure. There are many kinds of antihypertensive drugs. Today, amlodipine, the most commonly used antihypertensive drug in clinic, is shared. What time is the best time to eat amlodipine every day? What are the adverse reactions and how should we respond? If you are eating, be sure to understand these two questions and avoid blind medication.

In order to know when amlodipine is most suitable for taking every day, we must first understand the characteristics of amlodipine and the fluctuation law of our own blood pressure, and then we can better use amlodipine. Amlodipine can not only expand blood vessels and reduce blood pressure, but also reduce cardiac afterload, reduce cardiac oxygen consumption, improve myocardial spasm and play an anti angina role. Long term administration can delay the progression of atherosclerosis, reverse left ventricular hypertrophy, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

After taking amlodipine for 2 to 3 hours, it can exert the maximum antihypertensive effect. The effect can last for more than 24 hours. Generally, after 7 to 14 days of continuous administration, the blood concentration in the body can be maintained at a stable level. Occasionally forgetting to take medication, blood pressure generally does not fluctuate too much on the second day, making it particularly suitable for elderly hypertensive patients who have poor medication compliance and are prone to forgetting or missing medication. The efficacy of amlodipine is not affected by obesity, high salt diet, alcohol and other adverse life factors. In addition to its advantages in lowering blood pressure, amlodipine has no obvious adverse effects on blood sugar, blood lipids, uric acid, liver and kidney functions.

Next, let's talk about the fluctuation pattern of human blood pressure. Our body's blood pressure is not fixed, and there will be certain fluctuations in blood pressure throughout the day. The vast majority of people have their highest blood pressure around 6:00-10:00 in the morning and 4:00-6:00 in the afternoon. At night, their blood pressure begins to decrease, showing a "double peak and one valley" phenomenon. But a small number of people experience an increase in blood pressure in the evening or at night. It takes 2-3 hours for amlodipine to exert its maximum antihypertensive effect, so 2-3 hours before the peak of blood pressure is the best time to take amlodipine.

Why do you say that? This is because after 2-4 hours of taking antihypertensive drugs, the efficacy is often the strongest. Although the drugs can also have a antihypertensive effect at other times, the efficacy is relatively weaker over time. So antihypertensive drugs should be taken 2-3 hours before the peak of blood pressure, with the aim of using the peak concentration of the drug to suppress the peak period of blood pressure, so as to maintain a relatively stable blood pressure for 24 hours, avoid the occurrence of sudden high and low blood pressure fluctuations, and prevent sudden increase in blood pressure, leading to myocardial infarction, stroke, and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. For example, if your blood pressure is relatively high at 9am, you should take medication between 6am and 7am in the morning; If blood pressure is relatively high at 6 pm, medication should be taken at 3-4 pm; If blood pressure increases at night, medication should be taken one hour before bedtime.

How can we know the fluctuation pattern of blood pressure?

Friends with conditions can go to the hospital for a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. If it is inconvenient for oneself, one can also measure blood pressure at home or at nearby pharmacies and clinics. Measure at least three times a day, in the morning, afternoon, and evening. In addition, it is also necessary to choose to measure at a fixed time point. For example, if you measure your blood pressure at 8 am, 4 pm, and 9 pm today, you will also need to measure it at the corresponding time tomorrow. Measure continuously for 7-14 days in order to know the fluctuation pattern of one's blood pressure, and then choose the appropriate medication time based on the fluctuation of blood pressure.

The second is what are the common adverse reactions of amlodipine? How should we respond?

The most common side effects of amlodipine are dizziness, headache and flushing: this is mainly related to the effect of amlodipine on dilating peripheral arteries and cerebral vessels. These symptoms are generally mild, and the human body will gradually tolerate them with the prolongation of drug use. But if the side effects are severe and intolerable, it is necessary to switch to other antihypertensive drugs under the guidance of a doctor.

The second side effect is palpitation: amlodipine will cause sympathetic nerve excitation, which will lead to the acceleration of reflex heart rate and the occurrence of symptoms such as palpitation and palpitation. If you cannot tolerate these side effects, you can switch to other types of antihypertensive drugs under the guidance of the doctor or consider using them in combination with lol drugs, such as metoprolol, bisoprolol and other lol drugs, which can not only reduce blood pressure, but also slow down the heart rate. The combination of the two can not only play a synergistic role in reducing blood pressure, but also reduce the heart rate increase caused by amlodipine and reduce the frequency of angina pectoris. Especially suitable for patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease, and tachycardia.

The third side effect is lower limb edema: lower limb edema is a common adverse reaction of amlodipine. Edema is common in ankle joint, foot or lower leg, which may be related to different degrees of arteriole and venule dilation. amlodipine mainly dilates small arteries, and has less dilation effect on small veins and capillaries, which will lead to accumulation of body fluid in veins, causing lower limb edema. In this situation, we can adopt the method of raising our legs while sleeping to promote venous reflux and reduce edema. However, if the edema is severe, it is necessary to switch to pril or sartan drugs under the guidance of a doctor or use them in combination with low-dose diuretics.

The fourth side effect is gingival hyperplasia: after taking amlodipine for a long time, some patients may suffer from gingival redness, swelling, pain, bleeding, and volume increase, which may be mainly because amlodipine will reduce the flow of calcium ions into the cells, leading to the reduction of collagen decomposition in the cells, resulting in gingival hyperplasia. If the symptoms are mild, there is generally no need for special treatment. It is sufficient to strengthen oral hygiene in daily life. However, if the situation is severe, it is necessary to choose alternative antihypertensive drugs under the guidance of a doctor and promptly go to the hospital's dental department for treatment.

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