If you’re suffering from high blood pressure problems, there is a good likelihood that at some point your doctor will prescribe the drug Plendil. There would seem to be many success stories about its effectiveness, which is all fine and good but is it actually going to work for you? No doubt this is something you have been asking yourself so let’s examine the evidence and find out a little bit more about this medication before we take the plunge.



Some facts about Plendil

First of all you will often find it referred to by its generic name, Felodipine. Plendil is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Astra Merck and is used as a treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina (chest pain). This drug is part of a group of drugs commonly referred to as calcium channel blockers that go to work by relaxing the body’s blood vessels. It is usually prescribed in 3 different sizes of tablet – 2.5mg, 5mg and 10mg. The recommendation is that it is not kept refrigerated, just in an airtight container where damp and excess heat cannot get to it.

Is it safe for me to take this with other drugs?

Always seek your doctor’s approval before mixing Plendil with other medications. Never take this drug together with beta blockers for the very simple reason that this combination can actually reduce your blood pressure by a dangerous amount, and you will then find yourself with too low a blood pressure reading. Avoid taking Plendil together with either Digoxin or Cimetidine; such a blend can cause what would have been potentially minor side effects to become much worse.

How should I take Plendil?

The important thing to remember with this drug is that because every patient reacts in a different way it is difficult to give anything more than general advice. Discuss everything with your doctor, and take the treatment in accordance with their instructions. However on a non-specific level, the following is good advice. Do not take it together with grapefruit juice, neither crush nor chew the tablets because this will reduce their effectiveness. There is no restriction as to when you can take it, some medications require you to only take your dose on a full stomach – with Plendil it doesn’t matter.

Summary

In conclusion there is no doubt that Plendil has a good reputation in fighting high blood pressure. It is easy to take – the fact that you can take it either with or without food means that the impact on your current lifestyle will be minimal. Naturally the usual safety warnings apply, as is the case with all prescription drugs. All in all though, if you are looking for an effective solution to high blood pressure problems there is sufficient evidence showing that Plendil will fit the bill.