Plendil

Plendil is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure. Plendil belongs to a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers, which work by relaxing the blood vessels, making it easier for the heart to pump blood.

This medication comes in an extended release tablet form and is taken once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of Plendil include swelling, flushing, and headache. Plendil can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Plendil affects you.

Plendil is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure, medically known as hypertension.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take Plendil exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The recommended dosage range is 2.5−10 mg once daily. Dose adjustment may be necessary in those with liver impairment.

Serious side effects have been reported with Plendil including:

• hypotension. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, may cause you to feel faint or dizzy. Inadequate fluid intake, excessive sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting can lead to an excessive fall in blood pressure, too. Lie down if you feel faint or dizzy. Call your doctor right away.
• congestive heart failure (CHF). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any of the following symptoms of CHF:
  • sudden weight gain
  • worsening shortness of breath
  • increased swelling of your feet, legs, or abdomen
  • needing more pillows or sleeping in a recliner
  • waking from sleep to catch your breath
  • a cough that does not go away
  • new or increasing irregularities in your heart rate
• gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth of the gums). Plendil has been reported to cause gingival hyperplasia. Practicing good dental hygiene may decrease this occurrence or the severity.

Plendil can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Plendil affects you.

Do not take Plendil if you are allergic to Plendil or to any of this medication’s ingredients.

Serious side effects have been reported with Plendil. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Plendil include:

• swelling (medically known as “edema”)
• headache
• flushing
• cough
• dizziness

This is not a complete list of Plendil side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• beta blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), atenolol (Tenormin), and carvedilol (Coreg)
• medications that decrease the activity of the enzyme CYP3A4 such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), nefazodone (Serzone), posaconazole (Noxafil), telithromycin (Ketek), cimetidine (Tagamet), and erythromycin (Erythrocin, EES, Ery-Tab)
• anticonvulsant medications such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Equetro, Tegretol), and phenobarbital
• tacrolimus (Prograf)

This is not a complete list of Plendil drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Plendil falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. There are no well-controlled trials that have been done in humans, though. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Plendil crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Plendil.

Plendil has been reported to cause gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth of the gums). Practicing good dental hygiene may decrease this from happening or the severity.

Take Plendil either without food or with a light meal (choose one or the other).

Swallow Plendil whole and do not crush or chew.

Plendil can lower your blood pressure. You may feel faint or dizzy. This can be worsened by not drinking enough fluid,  sweating too much, having diarrhea, or vomiting.  Lie down if you feel faint or dizzy. Call your doctor right away.