Introduction

Name

• Amlodipine besylate.

Class of drug

• Third generation dihydropyridine .
• Calcium-channel blocker.

Description

Chemical name

• (RS)-3-ethyl 5-methyl 2-[(2-aminoethoxy)methyl]-4-(2-chlorophenyl)-6-methyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate.

Molecular formula

• C20H25ClN2O5

Molecular weight

• 408.879

Storage requirements

• Amodip 1.25 mg chewable tablets for cats:
  • Do not store above 30°C.
  • Shelf life of the veterinary medicinal product as packaged for sale: 30 months.
  • Shelf life of halved tablets: 24 hours.
  • Any unused half tablets should be returned to the blister pack.

Uses

Indications

• Several studies have shown amlodipine to be a safe and effective single-drug treatment for systemic hypertension Hypertension in cats.
• The primary cause and/or co-morbidities of hypertension, most commonly chronic kidney disease Kidney: chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism Hyperthyroidism, should be identified and treated. Routine measurement of systolic blood pressure Arterial blood pressure: oscillometric is advised in all cats.

Administration

Pharmacokinetics

Precautions

Interactions

with diagnostic tests

• Successful antihypertensive treatment with amlodipine is associated with a decrease in urine protein:creatinine ratios. Ventricular hypertrophy (diagnosed by echocardiography) may resolve after the initiation of amlodipine.

Adverse Reactions

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from VetMedResource and PubMed.
• Huhtinen M, Derré G, Renoldi H J et al (2015) Randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of a chewable formulation of amlodipine for the treatment of hypertension in client-owned cats.J Vet Intern Med 29 (3), 786-793 PubMed.
• Helms S R (2007) Treatment of Feline Hypertension With Transdermal Amlodipine: A Pilot Study. JAAHA 43 (3), 149-156 PubMed.
• Jepson R E, Elliott J, Brodbeld D, Syme H M (2007) Effect of control of systolic blood pressure on survival in cats with systemic hypertension. J Vet Intern Med 21, 402-409 PubMed.
• Snyder P S, Sadek D, Jones G L (2001) Effect of amlodipine on echocardiographic variables in cats with systemic hypertension. J Vet Intern Med 15 (1), 52-56 PubMed.
• Elliott J, Barber PJ, Syme H M, Rawlings J M & Markwell P J (2001) Feline hypertension: clinical findings and response to antihypertensive treatment in 30 cases. J Small Anim Pract 42 (3), 122-129 PubMed.
• Snyder P S (1998) Amlodipine: a randomized, blinded, clinical trial in 9 cats with systemic hypertension. J Vet Intern Med 12,157-162 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Bijsmans E S, Jepson R E, Syme H M, Elliott J, Pelligand L (2015) Measurement of plasma amlodipine concentration using LC/MS/MS at the point of blood pressure control in hypertensive cats (abstract). J Vet Intern Med 29 (4), 1224 (ACVIM Forum Abstract).
• Small Animal Formulary. Tennant, Bryn (2014) 8th edn. BSAVA, UK.
• Bijsmans E S, Jepson R E, Syme H M & Elliott J (2014) The efficacy of amlodipine besylate to control hypertension in cats with CKD (abstract). BSAVA Congress Proceedings.