Natrilam

Uses

Patients with mild to moderate hypertension (alone or in combination with other antihypertensives).

The treatment of chronic stable and vasospastic angina.

Raynaud\'s disease.

Indapamide is used for the treatment of essential hypertension . It is effective in treating hypertension in patients with renal function impairment, although its diuretic effect is reduced. Indapamide is also used for the treatment of salt and fluid retention associated with congestive heart failure.

Natrilam is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Anginal Pain, Cardiovascular Events, Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Hypertension,Essential, Mixed Dyslipidemias, Primary Hypercholesterolemia, Vasospastic AnginaHigh Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Recurrent Nephrolithiasis, Sodium and fluid retention

How Natrilam works

Mechanism of action on blood pressure

Amlodipine is considered a peripheral arterial vasodilator that exerts its action directly on vascular smooth muscle to lead to a reduction in peripheral vascular resistance, causing a decrease in blood pressure. Amlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist (calcium ion antagonist or slow-channel blocker) that inhibits the influx of calcium ions into both vascular smooth muscle and cardiac muscle. Experimental studies imply that amlodipine binds to both dihydropyridine and nondihydropyridine binding sites, located on cell membranes. The contraction of cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle are dependent on the movement of extracellular calcium ions into these cells by specific ion channels. Amlodipine blocks calcium ion influx across cell membranes with selectivity. A stronger effect of amlodipine is exerted on vascular smooth muscle cells than on cardiac muscle cells . Direct actions of amlodipine on vascular smooth muscle result in reduced blood pressure .

Mechanism of action in angina

The exact mechanism by which amlodipine relieves the symptoms of angina have not been fully elucidated to this date, however, the mechanism of action is likely twofold:

Amlodipine has a dilating effect on peripheral arterioles, reducing the total peripheral resistance (afterload) against which the cardiac muscle functions. Since the heart rate remains stable during amlodipine administration, the reduced work of the heart reduces both myocardial energy use and oxygen requirements .

Dilatation of the main coronary arteries and coronary arterioles, both in healthy and ischemic areas, is another possible mechanism of amlodipine reduction of blood pressure. The dilatation causes an increase in myocardial oxygen delivery in patients experiencing coronary artery spasm (Prinzmetal's or variant angina) and reduces coronary vasoconstriction caused by smoking .

Indapamide acts on the nephron, specifically at the proximal segment of the distal convoluted tubule where it inhibits the Na+/Cl- cotransporter, leading to reduced sodium reabsorption. As a result, sodium and water are retained in the lumen of the nephron for urinary excretion. The effects that follow include reduced plasma volume, reduced venous return, lower cardiac output, and ultimately decreased blood pressure.

Interestingly, it is likely that thiazide-like diuretics such as indapamide have additional blood pressure lowering mechanisms that are unrelated to diuresis. This is exemplified by the observation that the antihypertensive effects of thiazides are sustained 4-6 weeks after initiation of therapy, despite recovering plasma and extracellular fluid volumes.

Some studies have suggested that indapamide may decrease responsiveness to pressor agents while others have suggested it can decrease peripheral resistance. Although it is clear that diuresis contributes to the antihypertensive effects of indapamide, further studies are needed to investigate the medication’s ability to decrease peripheral vascular resistance and relax vascular smooth muscle.

Dosage

Natrilam dosage

For treatment of both hypertension and angina pectoris, the usual initial dose is 5 mg once daily. If the desired therapeutic effect cannot be achieved within 2-4 weeks, the dose may be increased to a maximum dose of 10 mg once daily. Amlodipine 10 mg once daily provides symptomatic improvement in patients with Raynaud's disease.

Use in children: Use of Amlodipine in children (under 12 years of age) is not recommended.

One tablet daily preferably in the morning. In more sever case Indapamide can be combine with other categories of anti-hypertensive agent. The safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established

Side Effects

Amlodipine is generally well tolerated. The most commonly observed side effects are headache, peripheral oedema, palpitations, flushing, dizziness, nausea, abdominal pain.

Side effects of Indapamide include headache, anorexia, gastric irritation,nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea etc.

Toxicity

Acute oral toxicity (LD50): 37 mg/kg (mouse) .

Overdose

An overdose of amlodipine could result in a high degree of peripheral vasodilatation with a possibility of reflex tachycardia. Significant and prolonged hypotension leading to shock and fatal outcomes have been reported .

Carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, impairment of fertility

Rats and mice treated with amlodipine maleate in the diet on a long-term basis for up to 2 years demonstrated no evidence of a carcinogenic effect of the drug. For the mouse, the highest dose was comparable to the maximum recommended human dose of 10 mg amlodipine per day. For the rat, the highest dose was measured to be about twice the maximum recommended human dose .

Mutagenicity studies using amlodipine maleate showed no drug-related gene or chromosomal effects .

There was no impact on the fertility of rats given oral amlodipine maleate (males for 64 days and females for 14 days before mating) at doses up to 10 mg amlodipine/kg/day (8 times the maximum recommended human dose) .

Use in pregnancy

The safety of amlodipine in human pregnancy or lactation has not been proven. Amlodipine is therefore considered a pregnancy category C drug . Use amlodipine only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk .

Use in nursing

Discontinue when administering amlodipine .

Indapamide overdose symptoms may include but are not limited to nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal disorders, electrolyte disturbances and weakness. Other signs of overdose include respiratory depression and severe hypotension. In cases of overdose, supportive care interventions may be necessary to manage symptoms. Emesis and gastric lavage may be recommended to empty the stomach; however, patients should be monitored closely for any electrolyte or fluid imbalances.

Precaution

Hypotension: Since the vasodilUse in renal failure

Although Amlodipine is excreted primarily via kidney, mild renal impairment does not appear to have an effect on the plasma concentrations. Severe renal impairment may however require a dosage reduction. Amlodipine is not dialyzable.

Use in patients with impaired hepatic function

Amlodipine half-life is prolonged in patient with impaired hepatic function. Amlodipine should therefore be administered at lower (5mg) initial dose in these patients.

Use in heart failure

An increased number of pulmonary oedema has been reported.atation induced by Amlodipine is gradual in onset, acute hypotension has rarely been reported after oral administration of Amlodipine. Nonetheless, caution should be exercised when administering the drug with any other peripheral vasodilator particularly in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Cardiac failure: Patients with heart failure should be treated with caution. Calcium channel blockers, including Amlodipine, should be usedwith caution in patients with congestive heart failure, as they may increase the risk of future cardiovascular events and mortality.

Beta blocker withdrawal: Amlodipine gives no protection against the danger of abrupt beta blocker withdrawal; any such withdrawal should be gradualreduction of the dose of beta blocker.

Hepatic failure: The half-life of amlodipine is prolonged and AUC values are higher in patients with impaired liver function. Amlodipine should therefore be initiated at the lower end of the dosing range and caution should be used, both on initial treatment and when increasing the dose. Slow dose titration and careful monitoring may be required in patients with severe hepatic impairment.

Monitoring of potassium and uric acid serum levels is recommended, especially in subjects with a predisposition or sensitivity to hypokalemia and in patients with gout. Although no allergic manifestations have been reported during clinical trials, patients with a history of allergy to sulfonamide derivatives should be closely monitored.

Interaction

Use of Amlodipine together with thiazide diuretics or angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors in the treatment of hypertension is additive. There are no hazardous interaction of Amlodipine with Digoxin, Cimetidine, Warfarin and food.

Other antihypertensive: Indapamide may add to or potentiate the action of other antihypertensive drugs.

Norepinephrine: Indapamide like thiazides, may decrease arterial responsiveness to norepinephrine.

Lithium: In general, diuretics should not be given concomitantly with lithium because they reduce its renal clearance and add a high risk of lithium toxicity.

Volume of Distribution

21 L/kg , .

Some sources report an apparent volume of distribution of 25 L for indapamide, while others report a value of approximately 60 L.

Elimination Route

Amlodipine absorbed slowly and almost completely from the gastrointestinal tract. Peak plasma concentrations are achieved 6-12 hours after oral administration. The estimated bioavailability of amlodipine is 64-90%. Steady-state plasma amlodipine levels are achieved after 7-8 days of consecutive daily dosing. Absorption is not affected by food .

The bioavailability of indapamide is virtually complete after an oral dose and is unaffected by food or antacids. Indapamide is highly lipid-soluble due to its indoline moiety - a characteristic that likely explains why indapamide’s renal clearance makes up less than 10% of its total systemic clearance. The Tmax occurs approximately 2.3 hours after oral administration. The Cmax and AUC_0-24 values are 263 ng/mL and 2.95 ug/hr/mL, respectively.

Half Life

The terminal elimination half-life of about 30–50 hours .

Plasma elimination half-life is 56 hours in patients with impaired hepatic function, titrate slowly when administering this drug to patients with severe hepatic impairment .

Indapamide is characterized by biphasic elimination. In healthy subjects, indapamide's elimination half-life can range from 13.9 to 18 hours. The long half-life is conducive to once-daily dosing.

Clearance

Total body clearance (CL) has been calculated as 7 ± 1.3 ml/min/kg (0.42 ± 0.078 L/ h/kg) in healthy volunteers , .

Elderly patients show a reduced clearance of amlodipine with an AUC (area under the curve) increase of about 40–60%, and a lower initial dose may be required .

Indapamide's renal and hepatic clearance values are reported to be 1.71 mL/min and 20-23.4 mL/min, respectively.

Elimination Route

Elimination from the plasma occurs in a biphasic with a terminal elimination half-life of about 30–50 hours. Steady-state plasma levels of amlodipine are reached after 7-8 days of consecutive daily dosing . Amlodipine is 10% excreted as unchanged drug in the urine. Amlodipine can be initiated at normal doses in patients diagnosed with renal failure , .

An estimated 60-70% of indapamide is eliminated in the urine, while 16-23% is eliminated in the feces.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding use

Pregnancy: Safety in pregnancy has not been established.

Lactation: It is not known whether Amlodipine is excreted in breast milk. It is advised to stop breastfeeding during treatment with Amlodipine.

There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women and so Indapamide is not recommended. Mothers taking Indapamide should not breast feed.

Contraindication

Amlodipine is contraindicated in patients with-

• Hypersensitivity to amlodipine, dihydropyridine derivatives or any of the excipients
• Shock (including cardiogenic shock)
• Obstruction of the outflow-tract of the left ventricle (e.g. high grade aortic stenosis)
• Unstable angina
• Hemodynamically unstable heart failure after acute myocardial infarction (during the first 28 days)
• Severe hypotension

This drug must not be taken in the following conditions:

• Hypersensitivity to sulfonamides
• Severe renal failure
• Hepatic encephalopathy or severe hepatic failure
• Hypokalaemia

Special Warning

Children with hypertension from 6 years to 17 years of age: 2.5 mg once daily as a starting dose, up-titrated to 5 mg once daily if blood pressure goal is not achieved after 4 weeks. Doses in excess of 5 mg daily have not been studied in pediatric patients.

Children under 6 years old: The effect of amlodipine on blood pressure in patients less than 6 years of age is not known.

Elderly: Amlodipine used at similar doses in elderly or younger patients is equally well tolerated. Normal dosage regimens are recommended in the elderly, but increase of the dosage should take place with care.

Renal impairment: Changes in amlodipine plasma concentrations are not correlated with degree of renal impairment, therefore the normal dosage is recommended. Amlodipine is not dialysable.

Hepatic impairment: Dosage recommendations have not been established in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment; therefore dose selection should be cautions and should start at the lower end of the dosing range. The pharmacokinetics of Amlodipine have not been studied in severe hepatic impairment. Amlodipine should be initiated at the lowest dose (2.5 mg once daily) and titrated slowly in patients with severe hepatic impairment.

Acute Overdose

There is no well documented experience with Amlodipine overdosage. In case of clinically significant hypotension due to Amlodipine over dosage, calls for active cardiovascular support including monitoring of cardiac and respiratory function, elevation of extremities and attention to circulating fluid volume and urine output. Since Amlodipine is highly protein-bound, dialysis is unlikely to be of benefit.

Symptoms: These could include: allergies, skin rashes, epigastric pain, nausea, photosensitivity, dizziness, weakness and paraesthesia.Treatment: Treatment is supportive and symptomatic, directed at correcting the electrolyte abnormalities.

Storage Condition

Keep out of the reach of children. Store below 30° C. Keep in the original package in a cool & dry place in order to protect from light and moisture.

Store in a cool and dry place. Protect from light and moisture.

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