Zanidip 20mg Tablets

Lercanidipine (Trade name zanidip, among others) is an antihypertensive (Blood pressure lowering) drug. It belongs to the dihydropyridine class of calcium channel blockers, which work by relaxing and opening the blood vessels allowing the blood to circulate more freely around the body. This lowers the blood pressure and allows the heart to work more efficiently. [1]The drug acts more slowly than older dihydropyridines. It probably has fewer adverse effects, but a comparatively high potential for drug interactions, medical uses: lercanidipine is used for the treatment of essential hypertension (High blood pressure),Contraindicationslike other dihydropyridines, lercanidipine is contraindicated in unstable angina pectoris, uncontrolled cardiac failure, shortly after a myocardial infarction, and in patients with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. It is also contraindicated during pregnancy and in women who may become pregnant, because data regarding safety for the unborn are lacking, as well as in patients with severe liver and renal impairment. [3][4]The drug must not be combined with strong inhibitors of the liver enzyme cyp3A4 or with the immunosuppressant drug ciclosporin. [3][4]Adverse effectslercanidipine is generally well tolerated; no single adverse effect has been observed in more than 1% of patients treated with this drug. Typical side effects are similar to those of other drugs of this class and include headache, dizziness, tachycardia (Fast heartbeat), palpitations, flush, and oedema. Hypersensitivity reactions occur in less than one patient in 10,000. [3][4]Oedemas are significantly less common under lercanidipine when compared to first-Generation dihydropyridines such as nifedipine. For other side effects, data are inconclusive: a study comparing lercanidipine to first-Generation drugs found no difference in the frequency of headache and flush,[5] but switching from amlodipine, felodipine or nitrendipine (All at least second generation) to lercanidipine significantly decreased side effects in another study. [4]Overdoseoverdosing of up to 80 times the usual therapeutic dose has been described. Expected symptoms include severe hypotension (Low blood pressure) and reflex tachycardia. Bradycardia (Slow heartbeat) can also occur due to blockage of calcium channels in the atrioventricular node of the heart. There is no treatment besides monitoring blood pressure and heart function. Dialysis is likely ineffective because most of the lercanidipine is bound to blood plasma proteins and lipid membranes of cells. [3]Interactionsthe substance is metabolised by the liver enzyme cyp3A4. In a study, the strong cyp3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole increased the maximal blood plasma concentrations of lercanidipine by a factor of eight, and the area under the curve by a factor of 15. In another study, ciclosporin increased lercanidipine plasma levels threefold when given at the same time. Other inhibitors of this enzyme, such as itraconazole, erythromycin, and grapefruit juice, are also expected to increase plasma concentrations and thus amplify the antihypertensive effect. [3][4][6] conversely, cyp3A4 inductors such as carbamazepine, rifampicin, and st john'S wort probably lower plasma levels and effectiveness of lercanidipine. [4][6] by comparison, amlodipine has a lower potential for cyp3A4 mediated interactions. [3][7]Lercanidipine increases plasma levels of ciclosporin and digoxin. [3][4]Pharmacologymechanism of actionlike other dihydropyridine class calcium channel blockers, lercanidipine blocks l-Type calcium channels in the smooth muscle cells of blood vessels, relaxing them and thus lowering blood pressure. In contrast to the non-Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers verapamil and diltiazem, it does not significantly act on calcium channels in the atrioventricular node, and therefore does not decrease heart rate, in usual therapeutic doses. [4]Pharmacokineticslercanidipine is slowly but completely absorbed from the gut. It has a total bioavailability of 10% due to an extensive first-Pass effect, or up to 40% if taken after a fatty meal. Highest blood plasma levels are reached after 1. 5 to 3 hours. The substance is quickly distributed into the tissues and bound to lipid membranes, where it forms a depot. The circulating fraction is almost completely (>98%) bound to plasma proteins. [3][4]It is completely metabolized in the liver, mainly via cyp3A4. Elimination half-Life is 8 to 10 hours, and the drug does not accumulate. Because of the depot effect, the antihypertensive action lasts for at least 24 hours. 50% are excreted via the urine. [3][4]
Equivalent Brands:
Zanidip 20mg Tablets equivalent/ substitute for brands Lercanil, Lervasc, Lotensyl, Lerka, Larpin, Lotensyl,uses=Zanidip Is A Medicine Used To Treat Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) And Angina (Heart-Related Chest Pain).