How to Use

Take this drug exactly as directed even if you feel well and do not notice any signs of chest pain. Do not take more of this drug and do not take it more often than your family doctor ordered. Do not miss any doses.

For diseaseds taking amlodipine :

• Your family doctor may suggest that you change your diet and eat foods that are low in salt and fat. Losing weight will help your blood pressure along with your drug. Talk to your family doctor about the best diet for you.

For diseaseds taking bepridil :

• If this drug causes upset stomach, it can be taken with meals or at bedtime.

For diseaseds taking diltiazem extended-release capsules :

• Swallow the capsule whole, without crushing or chewing it.
• Do not change to another brand without checking with your physician . Different brands have various doses. If you refill your drug and it looks various, check with your pharmacist.

For diseaseds taking felodipine :

• Do not take this drug with grapefruit juice.

For diseaseds taking verapamil extended-release capsules :

• Swallow the capsule whole, without crushing or chewing it.

For diseaseds taking felodipine or nifedipine extended-release tablets :

• Swallow the tablet whole, without breaking, crushing, or chewing it.
• If you are taking Adalat XL or Procardia XL , you may sometimes notice what looks like a tablet in your stool. That is just the empty shell that is left after the drug has been absorbed into your body.
• If you are taking Adalat CC , take the drug on an empty stomach

For diseaseds taking verapamil extended-release tablets :

• Swallow the tablet whole, without crushing or chewing it. However, if your family doctor tells you to, you may break the tablet in half.
• Take the drug with food or milk.

For diseaseds taking this drug for high blood pressure :

• In addition to the use of the drug your family doctor has prescribed, appropriate treat for your high blood pressure may include weight control and care in the types of food you eat, especially foods high in sodium - salt. Your family doctor will tell you which factors are most important for you. You must check with your family doctor before changing your diet.
• Many diseaseds who have high blood pressure will not notice any signs of the problem. In fact, many may feel normal. The best for you that you take your drug exactly as directed and that you keep your appointments with your family doctor even if you feel well.
• Remember that this drug will not cure your high blood pressure but it does help control it. Therefore, you must continue to take it as directed if you expect to lower your blood pressure and keep it down You may have to take high blood pressure drug for the rest of your life . If high blood pressure is not treated, it can cause serious problems such as heart failure, blood vessel disease, stroke, or kidney disease.

Dosage

The number of capsules or tablets that you take depends on the strength of the drug. Always the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses and the length of time you take the drug depend on the medical problem for which you are taking calcium channel blocking agents .

For amlodipine
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For angina - chest pain:
    • Adults 5 to 10 milligrams - mg once a day.
    • Children Use must be determined by your family doctor.
Note:

Elderly diseaseds or diseaseds determined by your health care professional may be started on a lower dose.

• For high blood pressure:
  • Adults 5 to 10 mg once a day.
  • Children Use must be determined by your family doctor.
Note:

Elderly diseaseds or diseaseds determined by your health care professional may be started on 2.5 mg once a day.

For bepridil
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For angina - chest pain:
    • Adults 200 to 300 milligrams - mg once a day.
    • Children Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For diltiazem
• For long-acting oral dosage form - extended-release capsules:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults and teenagers:
      • For Cardizem CD or Dilacor-XR : 180 to 240 milligrams - mg once a day.
      • For Cardizem SR : 60 to 120 mg two times a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For regular - short-acting oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For angina - chest pain:
    • Adults and teenagers 30 mg three or four times a day. Your family doctor may gradually increase your dose as needed.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • For arrhythmias - irregular heartbeat:
    • Adults and teenagers Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your family doctor.
    • Children Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For felodipine
• For long-acting oral dosage form - extended-release tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 5 to 10 milligrams - mg once a day.
    • Children Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.
  • For angina - chest pain:
    • Adults 10 mg once a day.
    • Children Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For flunarizine
• For oral dosage form - capsules:
  • To prevent headaches:
    • Adults 10 milligrams - mg once a day in the evening.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For isradipine
• For oral dosage form - capsules:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 2.5 milligrams - mg two times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose as needed.
    • Children Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For nicardipine
• For oral dosage form - capsules:
  • For high blood pressure or angina - chest pain:
    • Adults and teenagers 20 milligrams - mg three times a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For nifedipine
• For regular - short-acting oral dosage form - capsules:
  • For high blood pressure or angina - chest pain:
    • Adults and teenagers 10 milligrams - mg three times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose as needed.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For long-acting oral dosage form - extended-release tablets:
  • For high blood pressure or angina - chest pain:
    • Adults and teenagers:
      • For Adalat CC , Adalat XL or Procardia XL : 30 or 60 mg once a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose as needed.
      • For Adalat PA : 10 or 20 mg two times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose as needed.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For nimodipine
• For oral dosage form - capsules:
  • To treat a burst blood vessel around the brain:
    • Adults 60 milligrams - mg every four hours.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For verapamil
• For regular - short-acting oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For angina - chest pain, arrhythmias - irregular heartbeat, or high blood pressure:
    • Adults and teenagers 40 to 120 milligrams - mg three times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose as needed.
    • Children Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your family doctor. The usual dose is 4 to 8 mg per kilogram - kg - 1.82 to 3.64 mg per pound of body weight a day. This is divided into smaller doses.
• For long-acting oral dosage form - extended-release capsules:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults and teenagers 240 to 480 mg once a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For long-acting oral dosage form - extended-release tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults and teenagers 120 mg once a day to 240 mg every twelve hours.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • For arrhythmias - irregular heartbeat:
    • Adults 5 to 10 mg slowly injected into a vein. The dose may be repeated after thirty minutes.
    • Children Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your family doctor.
      • Infants up to 1 year of age: 100 to 200 micrograms - mcg per kg - 45.5 to 90.9 mcg per pound of body weight injected slowly into a vein. The dose may be repeated after thirty minutes.
      • Children 1 to 15 years of age: 100 to 300 mcg per kg - 45.5 to 136.4 mcg per pound of body weight injected slowly into a vein. The dose may be repeated after thirty minutes.

Missed dose If you miss a dose of this drug, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage To store this drug:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the drug to break down.
• Do not keep outdated drug or drug no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded drug is out of the reach of children.