What Pharmacists Say About When to Take Amlodipine (Plus 4 Other Tips)

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the most common health conditions in the U.S. In many cases, people living with hypertension take medication to help lower blood pressure. Amlodipine (Norvasc, Katerzia) is one example of a common blood pressure medication.

If you’re just starting amlodipine, it’s normal to want to know how to get the most of it. Top of mind may be whether you should take amlodipine in the morning or at bedtime. Or perhaps you’re curious about managing missed doses or side effects. Below, you’ll find those answers and more.

What is amlodipine?

Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker. It works by widening blood vessels so blood can flow more easily. This lowers blood pressure and eases the load on the heart. This helps the heart to pump blood throughout the body more efficiently. It also helps lower the risk of heart-related problems, like strokes.

Amlodipine is recommended by experts as a first-choice medication for many people with high blood pressure. And it’s FDA approved to treat hypertension and some types of coronary artery disease.

Keep in mind that you should always take amlodipine as directed by your prescriber. But below are five helpful tips that can help you get the best results from taking amlodipine.

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• What it feels like: Three people share their experiences with amlodipine, which can be beneficial for many people living with hypertension.

• The right dose: Amlodipine has a standard recommended dosage, but your age and liver function can affect how much you should take.

• Possible side effects: Learn about amlodipine’s side effects — from swelling to flushing — and how to manage them.

1. There is no ‘best’ time to take amlodipine

You can take amlodipine in the morning or at night. Either way is fine. It’s helpful to take it close to the same time every day to have consistent effects. It also may be easier to remember your dose of amlodipine if you take it with your other scheduled medications.

Amlodipine lasts longer in the body than many other calcium channel blockers. Because of this, you typically only need to take it once a day. Once-daily dosing keeps enough medication in your body to help with blood pressure regulation around-the-clock.

So the most important thing is to take amlodipine once a day around the same time. The time of day — whether it’s morning or night — isn’t as important, as long as it’s consistent.

Is it beneficial to take amlodipine at bedtime?

Overall, evidence doesn’t suggest taking amlodipine (or most other blood pressure medications) at night is better than taking it in the morning. And experts don’t state that people should take them at a certain time of day.

Some studies have found that taking medications like amlodipine in the evening helped lower blood pressure better than morning doses. Other studies have found that nighttime doses cause blood pressure to drop too low overnight. And some studies concluded that the time of day doesn’t make a difference in blood pressure regulation.

The best time to take amlodipine is when you’re most likely to remember it. Consistency is key when it comes to getting the most benefit from the medication.

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2. You can take amlodipine with or without food

You can take amlodipine with or without food. Eating doesn’t affect how much of the medication your body absorbs. It also doesn’t impact how well amlodipine works. But you may find that it’s easier to remember your doses if you take them with the same meal every day. Taking amlodipine with food can also be helpful if it causes nausea (a possible side effect).

3. Some people may need to separate amlodipine from other blood pressure medications

It’s not necessary for everyone to separate amlodipine from other blood pressure medications, such as lisinopril (Zestril, Qbrelis). They don’t directly interact with each other. This means neither impacts how the other is absorbed by or works in the body. In fact, amlodipine is included in some combination blood pressure pills. But it’s possible your prescriber may suggest taking different types of blood pressure medications at opposite ends of the day.

For example, people with certain health conditions may be more likely to experience orthostatic hypotension (dizziness caused by low blood pressure when standing up). It’s still important to treat high blood pressure even if you have orthostatic hypotension. To help limit dizziness, your prescriber may ask you to separate your blood pressure medications from each other.

Keep in mind that amlodipine does interact with various other medications. But handling these interactions usually just takes extra monitoring or dose adjustments. Amlodipine interactions include sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio), simvastatin (Zocor, FloLipid), and some transplant medications, among others.

Be sure to share an updated medication list with your prescriber and pharmacist to discuss potential interactions. They can let you know if you need to separate any medications from each other or make any dosage adjustments.

4. There are certain instructions to follow if you miss a dose of amlodipine

If you miss a dose of amlodipine, take it as soon as possible. But, if it’s more than 12 hours after the missed dose, skip it. Just take your next dose at its regular time.

You should avoid taking two doses of amlodipine at one time, unless otherwise instructed. This could lead to a dose that’s too high for you and raise the risk of side effects.

5. Many amlodipine side effects get better or resolve with time

Many people can take amlodipine without major problems. But as with all medications, side effects are possible.

Some common side effects of amlodipine include:

• Swelling or fluid buildup in the legs or ankles

• Fatigue

• Heart palpitations

• Dizziness

• Nausea

• Face flushing

• Blood pressure that’s too low

• Stomach pain

• Drowsiness

Many side effects, such as dizziness and fatigue, get better over time as your body adjusts to the medication. Often, these side effects happen because your body is adjusting to a lower blood pressure. But if side effects get worse or are bothersome, talk to your healthcare team. And if anything seems severe or life threatening, call 911 or go to the nearest ER.

How to save on amlodipine

Amlodipine is available as both a brand-name and generic medication. One of the best ways to help you save money is by using a free GoodRx coupon. GoodRx can help you save over 90% off the average retail price of the generic version. Generic amlodipine’s price at certain pharmacies is as low as $5.70 with a free GoodRx discount.

There are also additional ways to save on brand-name versions of amlodipine:

• Norvasc: If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $0 per month for brand-name Norvasc using a manufacturer savings card.

• Katerzia: If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $30 per prescription for brand-name Katerzia using a manufacturer savings card. If you’re uninsured and meet certain income requirements, you may qualify for Katerzia’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication at no cost.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. In his early career, he provided direct patient care in a variety of settings, including hospital and community pharmacies, and in a primary care clinic as a clinical pharmacist.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Tegan Smedley, PharmD, APh

Tegan Smedley, PharmD, APh, has 10 years of experience as a pharmacist. She has worked in a variety of settings, including retail, hospital, and ambulatory care.

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