The key difference between amlodipine and amlodipine besylate is that amlodipine is a drug useful in controlling high blood pressure conditions, whereas amlodipine besylate is amlodipine with a salt that helps drug delivery for the treatment of angina and high blood pressure.
Amlodipine and amlodipine besylate are two types of medication that are mainly useful in controlling high blood pressure conditions. They have amlodipine as the chief and active ingredient. Amlodipine besylate is amlodipine containing a salt; there can be some other forms as well, such as amlodipine malleate and amlodipine mesylate.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Amlodipine
3. What is Amlodipine Besylate
4. Amlodipine vs Amlodipine Besylate in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Amlodipine and Amlodipine Besylate
What is Amlodipine?
Amlodipine is a medication that is useful in treating high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. It is a calcium channel blocker. It is typically not recommended in heart failure, but we can use this medication if other medications are not sufficient for the treatment when there is heart-related chest pain. We can take this medicine orally, and it can last its effects for at least a day.
There can be some side effects of amlodipine, such as swelling, feeling tired, abdominal pain and nausea. However, there can be some adverse side effects as well, including low blood pressure and heart attack. Moreover, when patients with liver problems use this medication, they should take a reduced dose of the drug.
Generally, amlodipine medication works by increasing the size of arteries. This drug acts as a long-acting calcium channel blocker of the dihydropyridine type. The trade name of this drug is Norvasc. The bioavailability of this medication is about 64-90%, and the protein binding ability is about 93%. It undergoes metabolism in the liver, and excretion occurs as urine. Duration of the action longs at least 24 hours. Furthermore, the elimination half-life of amlodipine is about 30-50 hours.
When considering the medical uses of amlodipine, it is useful in managing hypertension and coronary artery disease in people having stable angina or vasospastic angina. Moreover, along with other calcium channel blockers, amlodipine is considered the first choice for Raynaud’s phenomenon.
What is Amlodipine Besylate?
Amlodipine besylate is a derivative of amlodipine medication, and it is useful in treating high blood pressure, with or without other medications. Through the lowering of high blood pressure, it can help in preventing strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems. This is a type of calcium channel blocker. The mode of action of amlodipine besylate is by relaxing blood vessels; thus, blood can flow more easily.
There can be some side effects of amlodipine besylate, including dizziness, lightheadedness, swelling ankles, or flushing. In order to avoid dizziness and lightheadedness, the patient can try getting up from a sitting or lying position very slowly.
What is the Difference Between Amlodipine and Amlodipine Besylate?
Amlodipine and amlodipine besylate have amlodipine as the chief and active ingredient. Amlodipine besylate is amlodipine containing a salt; there can be some other forms as well, such as amlodipine malleate and amlodipine mesylate. The key difference between amlodipine and amlodipine besylate is that amlodipine is a drug useful in controlling high blood pressure conditions, whereas amlodipine besylate is amlodipine with a salt that helps drug delivery for the treatment of angina and high blood pressure.
The below infographic summarizes the differences between amlodipine and amlodipine besylate in tabular form.
Summary – Amlodipine vs Amlodipine Besylate
Amlodipine and amlodipine besylate are two types of medication that are mainly useful in controlling high blood pressure conditions. The key difference between amlodipine and amlodipine besylate is that amlodipine is a drug useful in controlling high blood pressure conditions, whereas amlodipine besylate is amlodipine with a salt that helps drug delivery for the treatment of angina and high blood pressure.
Reference:
1. “Amlodipine: Drug Uses, Side Effects & Dosage.” Drugs.com.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Amlodipine” By DoSiDo – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia