Lercanidipine
About Lercanidipine
Lercanidipine is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a chronic condition in which the blood force against the artery wall is high. As a result, it leads to heart disease, irregular heartbeat, and other complications.
Lercanidipine contains 'Lercanidipine' that works by relaxing the blood vessels. This reduces the workload on the heart and makes the heart more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body.
In some cases, Lercanidipine may cause side effects like dizziness, headache, palpitations (a feeling of fast or uneven heartbeat), flushing (sudden reddening of your face, neck, or upper chest), and ankle swelling. Most of these side effects of Lercanidipine do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor.
If you are known to be allergic to Lercanidipine or any other medicines, please inform your doctor. Before taking Lercanidipine, let your doctor know if you have had hypotension (low blood pressure), angina, chest pain, heart problems, liver or kidney disease, or diabetes. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult their doctor before taking Lercanidipine. Lercanidipine is not recommended in children below 18 as safety and efficacy have not been established in children.
Uses of Lercanidipine
Medicinal Benefits
Lercanidipine is an anti-hypertensive drug that treats high blood pressure (hypertension). It contains ‘Lercanidipine’, which works by relaxing the blood vessels. This lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of having a stroke, a heart attack, heart-related chest pain (angina), other heart problems, or kidney problems in the future.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Lercanidipine
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Faster heart rate
- A feeling of fast or uneven heartbeat (palpitations)
- Sudden reddening of your face, neck, or upper chest (flushing)
- Ankle swelling
Drug Warnings
Do not take Lercanidipine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients or if you recently had a heart attack, angina, chest pain, or heart problems. Lercanidipine should be taken with caution in patients with liver or kidney disease, hypotension (low blood pressure), and diabetes. You should monitor your blood pressure regularly to make sure the Lercanidipine is working efficiently. Do not take Lercanidipine if you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breastfeeding women unless prescribed by a doctor. Lercanidipine is not recommended for children as the safety and efficacy of Lercanidipine in children under 18 years have not been established. Lercanidipine causes drowsiness and dizziness; do not drive unless you are alert. Drinking alcohol while using Lercanidipine can cause you to have low blood pressure and increase dizziness, so avoid alcoholic beverages. Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you are taking Lercanidipine, as it can make side effects worse.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug interaction: Lercanidipine is known to interact when taken with other medicines to treat high blood pressure (captopril, enalapril, benazepril, fosinopril), medicines used to treat fast heartbeat (amiodarone, quinidine), a medicine to treat a heart problem (digoxin), anti-TB drug (rifampicin), antibiotics (erythromycin, troleandomycin, clarithromycin), antifungal medicines (ketoconazole, itraconazole), antivirals (ritonavir), antiepileptic (carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbitone, primidone), medicines to ease breathing (aminophylline, theophylline).
Drug-Food Interaction: Lercanidipine may interact with grapefruit and grapefruit juices. Hence, it should not be taken with Lercanidipine.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Lercanidipine is contraindicated in patients with cardiogenic shock (when suddenly the heart does not get enough blood supply), a recent history of unstable angina (chest pain), heart failure, and hypotension (low blood pressure).
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAlcohol consumption with Lercanidipine may increase the risk of low blood pressure and cause adverse effects such as dizziness, fainting, light-headedness or headache. Therefore, avoid alcohol consumption.
Pregnancy
cautionIf you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or plan to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking Lercanidipine. Your doctor will weigh the potential risks and benefits before prescribing Lercanidipine.
Breast Feeding
cautionDo not take Lercanidipine as it may pass through the breast milk. Please consult your doctor before taking Lercanidipine if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
cautionIt is advised to drive with caution after taking Lercanidipine as it usually causes dizziness, weakness, or drowsiness and affects the driving ability.
Liver
cautionBefore taking $ name, let your doctor know if you have any history of liver diseases. Dosage adjustments are required in patients with liver problems.
Kidney
cautionBefore taking $ name, let your doctor know if you have any history of kidney diseases. Dosage adjustments are required in patients with kidney problems.
Children
unsafeLercanidipine is not recommended for children below the age of 18 years.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Keep your weight under control with a BMI of 19.5-24.9.
- Regular physical activity or exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, or about 30 minutes most days of the week, can help lower your raised blood pressure by about 5 mm of Hg.
- Opt for a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy products.
- Limit your intake of sodium chloride (table salt) to 2300 mg per day, or less than 1500 mg is ideal for most adults.
- Quitting smoking is the best strategy to lower the risk of heart disease.
- Avoid chronic stress, as it can raise your blood pressure. To cope with stress, try to enjoy and spend time with your loved ones and practice mindfulness techniques.
- Monitor your blood pressure daily, and if there is too much fluctuation, then immediately contact your doctor.
- Try to include heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid-containing food drinks in your daily diet. Low-fat cooking oils like olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and coconut oil can also help lower your elevated blood pressure.
Special Advise
Please monitor your daily blood pressure and consult a doctor if you notice any fluctuations.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
High blood pressure: Hypertension is a chronic condition when blood pressure is too high. This condition can lead to hardened arteries (blood vessels), decreasing the blood and oxygen flow to the heart. Raised blood pressure can cause chest pain (angina) and heart attack (when the blood supply to the heart is blocked). Additionally, high blood pressure also causes brain damage (stroke) and kidney failure. High blood pressure can be diagnosed with the help of a blood pressure monitor or sphygmomanometer. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart pumps blood out. On the other hand, diastolic pressure is when your heart is at the resting stage between heartbeats. If your blood pressure is 140/90 mm of Hg, it means the systolic pressure is 140 mm of Hg and, diastolic pressure is 90 mm of Hg. Ideal blood pressure should be between 90/60 mm of Hg and 120/80 mm of Hg.
FAQs
Lercanidipine is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Thereby, it reduces your risk of having a stroke, a heart attack, heart-related chest pain (angina), other heart problems, or kidney problems in the future.
Lercanidipine works by relaxing the blood vessels and making the heart more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body.
Lercanidipine can be safely taken for as long as your doctor has prescribed it. High blood pressure is a lifelong condition, and one should not abruptly discontinue it without discussing it with a doctor.
Try not to miss a dose in the first place. In case you have missed a dose of Lercanidipine, you are advised to take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is time for you to take your next dose, then do not take both doses together. Take only one dose; taking a double dose of Lercanidipine will lead to low blood pressure (hypotension).
Lercanidipine is known to cause ankle swelling upon long-term use. Please try to keep your feet up when sitting for long hours. If the problem persists, consult your doctor and do what is advised.
