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Continue Antihypertensives — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyPharmacologyContinue AntihypertensivesMFDS Part 1

A 58-year-old patient with well-controlled hypertension takes amlodipine 5 mg each morning. He is attending for an uncomplicated dental extraction under local anaesthesia without sedation. He has not been advised by a medical practitioner to alter his medication. What should the dentist advise regarding his amlodipine?

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Correct answer: C — Take the usual dose at the usual time

The correct answer is C. Amlodipine should normally be continued at its usual dose and time for routine dental treatment under local anaesthesia unless the patient's medical or dental team has issued a specific contrary instruction. UK dental medicines guidance indicates that most interactions between regular medicines and licensed dental local anaesthetic cartridges are not clinically significant and require no dose adjustment. Amlodipine is intended as continuing treatment, and unnecessary interruption may impair blood-pressure control. Omitting, delaying or halving the dose is therefore unjustified in this scenario. Doubling a preceding dose is unsafe and must not be used to compensate for a planned or missed dose.

Reference: NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service. Managing interactions with local anaesthetics in dentistry. 2025. https://sps.nhs.uk/articles/managing-interactions-with-local-anaesthetics-in-dentistry/