Amlodipine + Atenolol
Indications
This is indicated in-
- Patients with essential hypertension
- Patients with angina pectoris & hypertension as co-existing diseases
- ln post Ml patients
- ln patients with refractory angina pectoris where nitrate therapy has failed.
Pharmacology
This is a fixed-dose combination of Amlodipine and Atenolol. Amlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist that inhibits the transmembrane influx of calcium ions into vascular smooth muscle and cardiac muscle; it has a greater effect on vascular smooth muscle than on cardiac muscle. Amlodipine is a peripheral vasodilator that acts directly on vascular smooth muscle to cause a reduction in peripheral vascular resistance and reduction in blood pressure. Amlodipine reduces tone, decreases coronary vasoreactivity and lowers cardiac demand by reducing afterload.
Atenolol is a cardioselective beta-blocker. The cardio-selectivity is dose-related. Atenolol causes a reduction in blood pressure by lowering cardiac output, decreasing the plasma renin activity and sympathetic outflow from CNS. Atenolol also causes a reduction in myocardial oxygen demand by virtue of its negative inotropic and negative chronotropic effects.
Dosage & Administration
The recommended dosage is Amlodipine and Atenolol 5/25 mg tablet once daily. If necessary, the dosage may be increased to 5/25 mg two tablets daily or as advised by the physicians. The dosage however should be individualized.