Felotens XL

Health and Nutrition > Medicines > F



How does it work?

This medicine contains the active ingredient felodipine, which is a type of medicine called a calcium channel blocker. This type of medicine acts on the heart and blood vessels. Felodipine works by slowing the movement of calcium through the muscle cells that are found in the walls of blood vessels. It acts specifically on the muscle cells in the walls of small arteries (arterioles). Felodipine slows calcium movement by blocking 'calcium channels' in these muscle cells. Calcium is needed by muscle cells in order for them to contract, so felodipine causes the muscle in the walls of the small arteries to relax. This widens the small arteries in the body, an effect that has two uses. The relaxing and widening of the small arteries in the body decreases the resistance that the heart has to push against in order to pump the blood around the body. This reduces blood pressure. Felodipine can therefore be used to treat high blood pressure. The widening effect on the small arteries also improves the blood and therefore oxygen supply to the heart. This feature means felodipine can be used to treat angina. The chest pain of angina is caused by insufficient oxygen supply to the heart. As felodipine improves this oxygen supply, and also reduces the effort the heart has to make to pump blood, it can be used to prevent angina attacks.

What is it used for?

- Angina pectoris
- High blood pressure

Warning!

- Unless your doctor or pharmacist tells you otherwise, you should avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medicine, as it may affect the level of this medicine in your blood.
- Swallow these tablets whole with water - do not chew, crush or break them.
- Take this medicine in the morning.
- The safety and efficacy of this medicine in children has not been studied by the manufacturer.
- This medicine may cause mild enlargement of the gums in people with gum disease. This can be avoided or reversed with careful dental hygiene.

Use with caution in

- Elderly people
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Poor functioning of one chamber of the heart (left ventricular dysfunction)
- Severely decreased liver function

Not to be used in