Plendil Tablet 5 mg

About Plendil Tablet 5 mg

Plendil Tablet 5 mg Uses

• Treats high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults
• Used alone or together with other blood pressure medicines
• Helps reduce the long term risk of stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems linked to high blood pressure

Plendil Tablet 5 mg Benefits

• Provides smooth, once daily blood pressure control
• Relaxes blood vessel walls without significantly slowing the heart rate
• Suitable for long term use in chronic hypertension management
• Can be combined safely with many other classes of blood pressure medicine

What Experts Say

Felodipine belongs to the dihydropyridine group of calcium channel blockers, which act mainly on the smooth muscle of blood vessel walls rather than on the heart muscle itself. By blocking calcium entry into these vascular cells, it widens the vessels and lowers blood pressure without significantly reducing how forcefully the heart pumps.

This vascular selectivity means felodipine rarely slows the heart rate or worsens heart failure symptoms the way some other calcium channel blockers can. It is generally well suited for patients who need steady blood pressure control alongside other cardiac medicines.

Experts caution that felodipine levels in the blood are unusually sensitive to grapefruit juice, which blocks an enzyme in the gut wall that normally breaks the drug down. This can raise felodipine levels enough to cause excessive blood pressure lowering, so grapefruit products are generally avoided during treatment.

Drug Class

• Dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker
• Antihypertensive agent

Plendil Tablet 5 mg formula

• Felodipine

Available forms

• Tablet

How to use Plendil Tablet 5 mg?

• Take Plendil tablet once daily in the morning, with or without food
• Swallow the tablet whole, do not crush, chew, or split it
• Avoid taking it with grapefruit or grapefruit juice
• Take it at the same time every day for consistent blood pressure control

Drug Interactions

Plendil Tablet 5 mg can interact with several other medicines, so tell your doctor about everything you are taking.

• Grapefruit juice: Significantly raises felodipine blood levels and increases the risk of side effects
• CYP3A4 inhibitors: Medicines such as erythromycin, itraconazole, and ritonavir can raise felodipine levels
• CYP3A4 inducers: Medicines such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, and rifampin can reduce felodipine effectiveness
• Tacrolimus: Felodipine can increase tacrolimus blood levels, requiring monitoring in transplant patients
• Other antihypertensives: Combined use can increase the blood pressure lowering effect and the risk of low blood pressure

Risks and warnings

• Grapefruit interaction: Avoid grapefruit juice as it can raise felodipine levels and cause excessive blood pressure lowering
• Liver impairment: Requires a lower starting dose and close monitoring in patients with reduced liver function
• Gum changes: May rarely cause gum swelling or overgrowth with prolonged use, so regular dental checkups are advised
• Elderly patients: May need a lower starting dose due to increased sensitivity to its blood pressure lowering effect

Plendil Tablet 5 mg Side Effects

Plendil Tablet 5 mg is generally well tolerated when used as directed, though some effects can still appear.

• Swelling of the ankles or feet
• Headache
• Flushing or warmth in the face
• Dizziness
• Fast or pounding heartbeat (reflex tachycardia)
• Fatigue
• Gum swelling with long term use
• Low blood pressure episodes

Contact your doctor immediately if any of these serious reactions occur.

• Worsening chest pain in patients with severe heart disease (rare)

Storage Conditions

• Store below 30°C in a dry place away from direct light
• Keep the tablet in its original pack until the dose is due
• Keep out of reach of children
• Do not use beyond the expiry date printed on the strip