What is amlodipine and valsartan?
Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker. It works by relaxing the muscles of your heart and blood vessels.
Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. Valsartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.
The combination of amlodipine and valsartan is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). This medication is usually given after others have been tried without successful treatment of hypertension.
Amlodipine and valsartan may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about amlodipine and valsartan?
Do not use this medication if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking amlodipine and valsartan, unless your doctor has told you to.
Call your doctor at once if you have swelling in your hands or feet, rapid weight gain, fast or pounding heartbeats, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling, or if you feel like you might pass out.
In rare cases, amlodipine and valsartan can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking amlodipine and valsartan?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to amlodipine (Norvasc) or valsartan (Diovan).
To make sure you can safely take amlodipine and valsartan, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);
liver disease;
congestive heart failure;
angina (chest pain), severe coronary artery disease;
if you are vomiting or having diarrhea; or
if you have recently had a heart attack.
If you are also taking a beta-blocker (such as Betapace, Coreg, Corgard, Dutoprol, Inderal, InnoPran, Lopressor, Normodyne, Tenormin, Tenoretic, Toprol, Trandate, and others), do not suddenly stop using the beta blocker without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely. Stopping a beta blocker too quickly can cause serious heart problems that will not be prevented by amlodipine and valsartan.
FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use amlodipine and valsartan if you are pregnant. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Valsartan can cause injury or death to the unborn baby if you take the medicine during your second or third trimester. Use effective birth control while taking this medication.
It is not known whether amlodipine and valsartan passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while taking amlodipine and valsartan.