Amlodipine
Prescription ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Amlodipine is a long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker and one of the most commonly prescribed antihypertensives worldwide. It is effective for hypertension and angina, with landmark evidence from the ALLHAT and ASCOT trials. Its long half-life allows for once-daily dosing with smooth 24-hour blood pressure control.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Amlodipine is a long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker and one of the most commonly prescribed antihypertensives worldwide. NutriStack rates the supporting evidence as strong. Common adult dosing is 2.5–10 mg once daily (as prescribed by your physician), though a prescriber sets the actual dose. This profile indexes 11 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: effective blood pressure reduction with smooth 24-hour control, reduces angina frequency, no negative inotropic effects at usual doses. 11 sources indexed (2011–2023), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Selectively inhibits L-type calcium channels in vascular smooth muscle, reducing intracellular calcium and causing arterial vasodilation. Decreases peripheral vascular resistance and afterload. Unlike non-dihydropyridines, has minimal direct effects on cardiac conduction or contractility at therapeutic doses. Gradual onset reduces reflex tachycardia.7
Dosing & protocol.
Can be taken with or without food; food does not affect bioavailability2
Full safety detail.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
5- 1Efficacy and Safety of Azelnidipine as an Antihypertensive Compared to Amlodipine: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysisPMIDPal D, Maji S, Maiti R · High blood pressure & cardiovascular prevention : the official journal of the Italian Society of Hypertension · 2023
Pal D, Maji S, Maiti R. Efficacy and Safety of Azelnidipine as an Antihypertensive Compared to Amlodipine: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. High blood pressure & cardiovascular prevention : the official journal of the Italian Society of Hypertension. 2023
- 2Effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine fixed-dose combination in the treatment of hypertension: a systematic reviewPMIDDat TV, Tu VL, Thu LNA et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2023
Dat TV, Tu VL, Thu LNA et al.. Effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine fixed-dose combination in the treatment of hypertension: a systematic review. Frontiers in pharmacology. 2023
- 3Peripheral edema and headache associated with amlodipine treatment: a meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trialsPMIDVukadinović D, Scholz SS, Messerli FH et al. · Journal of hypertension · 2019
Vukadinović D, Scholz SS, Messerli FH et al.. Peripheral edema and headache associated with amlodipine treatment: a meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Journal of hypertension. 2019
- 4Aliskiren and amlodipine in the management of essential hypertension: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPMIDLiu Y, Chen K, Kou X et al. · PloS one · 2013
Liu Y, Chen K, Kou X et al.. Aliskiren and amlodipine in the management of essential hypertension: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PloS one. 2013
- 5Efficacy and safety profiles of manidipine compared with amlodipine: a meta-analysis of head-to-head trialsPMIDRichy FF, Laurent S · Blood pressure · 2011
Richy FF, Laurent S. Efficacy and safety profiles of manidipine compared with amlodipine: a meta-analysis of head-to-head trials. Blood pressure. 2011
Randomized controlled trials
1- 6Stroke outcomes among participants randomized to chlorthalidone, amlodipine or lisinopril in ALLHATPMIDYamal JM, Oparil S, Davis BR, Alderman MH et al. · Journal of the American Society of Hypertension · 2014
In ALLHAT, amlodipine showed similar stroke outcomes compared to chlorthalidone and lisinopril in the overall population, supporting its safety and efficacy as a first-line antihypertensive
Reference material
5- 7ALLHAT Officers and Coordinators. Major outcomes in high-risk hypertensive patients randomized to ACE inhibitor or calcium channel blocker vs diuretic (ALLHAT). JAMA. 2002.Source linkedPMID
- 8Dahlof B et al. Prevention of cardiovascular events with an antihypertensive regimen of amlodipine adding perindopril as required versus atenolol adding bendroflumethiazide as required (ASCOT-BPLA). Lancet. 2005.Source linkedPMID
- 9Singh A et al. Efficacy of pharmacological agents for management of post-partum hypertension: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Hum Hypertens. 2026.Source linkedPMID
- 10Yin J, Mei Z, Shi S et al.. Nifedipine or amlodipine? The choice for hypertension during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of gynecology and obstetrics. 2022Source linkedPMID
- 11Soh MS, Won KH, Kim JJ et al.. Phase III randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety of amlodipine and candesartan cilexetil combination for hypertension treatment. Scientific reports. 2024Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Amlodipine, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Amlodipine?
Amlodipine is a long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker and one of the most commonly prescribed antihypertensives worldwide. It is effective for hypertension and angina, with landmark evidence from the ALLHAT and ASCOT trials. Its long half-life allows for once-daily dosing with smooth 24-hour blood pressure control.
What is Amlodipine used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Amlodipine include: Effective blood pressure reduction with smooth 24-hour control; Reduces angina frequency; No negative inotropic effects at usual doses; Can be combined with most other antihypertensives; Not affected by dietary salt intake. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Amlodipine?
A typical adult dose of Amlodipine is 2.5–10 mg once daily (as prescribed by your physician). The commonly recommended form is Oral tablet. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Amlodipine?
Reported side effects include peripheral edema (dose-dependent), flushing, headache, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Amlodipine?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Amlodipine in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.