Lercanidipine at a glance
Medicine class
Dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker.
Main use
High blood pressure in adults.
Food
Take before a meal because food, particularly a high-fat meal, can substantially increase absorption.
Avoid
Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Alcohol may increase dizziness or blood-pressure lowering.
What is Lercanidipine used for?
Licensed use:
Mild to moderate essential hypertension in adults.
How does Lercanidipine work?
Lercanidipine blocks calcium entry into vascular smooth muscle, relaxing and widening arteries and lowering blood pressure.
Lercanidipine preparations and strengths
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 10 mg, 20 mg
How to take Lercanidipine
Follow the dispensing label and supplied leaflet.
Swallow the tablet with water before a meal.
Do not take it with grapefruit or grapefruit juice.
Avoid alcohol because it can enhance the blood-pressure-lowering effect.
The score line helps with swallowing; it does not divide the tablet into equal amounts.
Lercanidipine side effects
Common or expected effects
- Headache
- Flushing
- Fast heartbeat or palpitations
- Swollen ankles or other peripheral swelling
Get urgent medical advice
- Fainting or marked symptoms of low blood pressure
- Chest pain or worsening angina
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, especially with difficulty breathing
Lercanidipine in pregnancy
Lercanidipine is not generally recommended during pregnancy because medicine-specific human data are limited. Another blood-pressure medicine is usually considered. Do not stop treatment without speaking to the prescriber.
Lercanidipine while breastfeeding
It is not known whether lercanidipine passes into human milk. The selected product information advises against use while breastfeeding; discuss alternatives with the prescriber.
Lercanidipine interactions
Check prescribed, non-prescribed and herbal products with a pharmacist or prescriber. Important examples include:
Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, including clarithromycin, erythromycin, ketoconazole, itraconazole and ritonavir
Can greatly increase lercanidipine exposure and excessive blood-pressure lowering; combined use is contraindicated.
Ciclosporin
Levels of both medicines may rise; combined use is contraindicated.
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice
Can increase lercanidipine's blood-pressure-lowering effect; avoid completely.
Common questions about Lercanidipine
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Are lercanidipine and lercanidipine hydrochloride the same medicine?
Lercanidipine hydrochloride is the salt form used in the tablet; lercanidipine is the active blood-pressure-lowering component.
Why should lercanidipine be taken before food?
Food, especially a high-fat meal, can substantially increase absorption and make its effects less predictable.
Can I have grapefruit while taking lercanidipine?
No. Grapefruit can increase lercanidipine levels and cause an excessive fall in blood pressure.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.