Common questions about felodipine

Felodipine is a type of medicine called a calcium channel blocker.

Like other calcium channel blockers, it relaxes and widens blood vessels. It does this by blocking calcium going into muscles in the heart and blood vessels.

Muscles need calcium to contract, so when you block the calcium, it makes the muscle cells relax. This lowers your blood pressure and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body.

In angina, felodipine works by improving the blood and oxygen supply to your heart. Angina is chest pain that comes on when not enough blood gets to the muscles of the heart. It usually happens because the arteries to the heart have become hardened and narrowed.

Felodipine starts to work on the day you start taking it, but it may take a couple of weeks for you to feel the full effect.

If you're taking felodipine for high blood pressure, you may not have any symptoms. In this case, you may not feel any different when you take it. This does not mean that the medicine is not working. It's important to keep taking it. Your doctor will check your blood pressure to see how well it is working.

If you're taking felodipine for angina, it will probably take a couple of weeks before you feel better. Until then, you will still get chest pain. Make sure you have your medicine (spray or tablets) for treating angina attacks with you at all times, and use it if you need to.

Keep taking felodipine every day and you should have fewer attacks within a couple of weeks. Talk to your doctor if your chest pain (angina) does not get any better after a couple of weeks. If it gets worse (happens more often or is more severe) tell your doctor immediately.

Felodipine is generally safe to take for a long time without any long-term side effects. In fact, it works best when you take it for a long time.

Even if felodipine lowers your blood pressure, it's best to carry on taking it. If you stop taking felodipine, your blood pressure could rise back up again.

If you are taking felodipine for angina, stopping it will increase your chances of having more angina attacks.

If you need medicines to lower your blood pressure, you'll probably need to take them for the rest of your life.

Remember, by keeping your blood pressure low, you're protecting yourself against having a heart attack or stroke in the future.

There are several other calcium channel blockers which lower blood pressure in the same way as felodipine. They include amlodipine, nifedipine, lacidipine and lercanidipine.

There are also lots of other types of medicines to lower your blood pressure. They work in a different way to calcium channel blockers and include:

• ACE inhibitors – for example ramipril and lisinopril
• angiotensin receptor blockers – for example candesartan
• beta blockers – for example bisoprolol
• medicines that make you pee more (diuretics) – for example bendroflumethiazide

If you cannot take felodipine or other calcium channel blockers because of side effects, you may be able to switch to another medicine. Your doctor will advise which one is best for you depending on your age, ethnicity and medical history.

There are several other calcium channel blockers which prevent angina in the same way as felodipine. They include amlodipine and nifedipine.

There are other calcium channel blockers used for angina, which work differently, such as diltiazem and verapamil.

There are also other medicines for angina which work in a different way. They include:

• beta blockers like bisoprolol
• nitrates like isosorbide dinitrate
• nicorandil

No, there's no evidence that felodipine is addictive.

Felodipine will not affect your contraception.

However, some types of hormonal methods of contraception, like the combined contraceptive pill and contraceptive patch, are not usually recommended if you have high blood pressure.

Talk to your doctor if you're taking or using combined hormonal contraceptives.

Felodipine can make some people feel dizzy. If this happens to you, do not drive a car, ride a bike, or use tools or machinery until you feel better.

It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking felodipine. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.

Yes, you can drink alcohol with felodipine. However, drinking alcohol can increase the blood pressure-lowering effect of felodipine, which can make you feel dizzy or light-headed.

If this happens to you, it's best to stop drinking alcohol while you're taking it.

Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice. Grapefruit can make the side effects of felodipine worse.

Otherwise, you can eat and drink normally while taking felodipine.

You can boost the health of your heart by making some key lifestyle changes.

These will also help if you have high blood pressure or angina.

• Quit smoking – smoking increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Quitting smoking brings down your blood pressure and relieves heart failure symptoms. Try to avoid secondhand smoke.
• Cut down on alcohol – drinking too much alcohol raises blood pressure over time and also makes heart failure worse. Men and women should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week. A standard glass of wine (175ml) is 2 units. A pint of lager or beer is usually 2 to 3 units of alcohol.
• Exercise – regular exercise lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition. It does not need to be too energetic, walking every day is enough.
• Eat well – aim to eat a diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins. It's a good idea to cut down on salt too. Eating too much salt is the biggest cause of high blood pressure. The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure will be. Aim for no more than 6g of salt a day.
• Deal with stress – when you're anxious or upset, your heart beats faster, you breathe more heavily, and your blood pressure often goes up. This can make heart failure worse, too. Find ways to reduce stress in your life. To give your heart a rest, try napping or putting your feet up when possible. Spend time with friends and family to be social and help avoid stress.
• Vaccinations – if you have heart failure, it's recommended that you have the flu vaccine every year and the pneumococcal vaccine as recommended by your GP. Ask your doctor about these vaccinations. You can have them free on the NHS. Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination is recommended for most people. Make sure you've had all the doses that you are eligible for. Talk to your doctor if you think you might be in one of the at risk groups.