Common questions about lercanidipine

Lercanidipine is a type of medicine called a calcium channel blocker.

Like other calcium channel blockers, lercanidipine works by blocking calcium going into muscles in the heart and blood vessels.

Muscles need calcium to contract, so when you block the calcium, it makes the muscle cells relax and widen.

This lowers your blood pressure and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body.

Lercanidipine starts to work on the day you start taking it, but it may take a couple of weeks for full effect.

Because high blood pressure often does not cause any symptoms, you may not feel any different when you take lercanidipine. This does not mean that the medicine is not working. It's important to keep taking it. Your doctor will check your blood pressure to see how well it is working.

Lercanidipine is generally safe to take for a long time.

In fact, it works best when you take it for a long time.

Even if lercanidipine has successfully lowered your blood pressure, it's best to carry on taking it.

If you stop taking lercanidipine, your blood pressure could go back up again.

If you need blood pressure-lowering medicines, you'll probably need to take them for the rest of your life.

Remember, by keeping your blood pressure low, you're protecting yourself against having a heart attack or stroke in the future.

There are several other calcium channel blockers that lower blood pressure in the same way as lercanidipine.

They include nifedipine, felodipine, lacidipine and amlodipine.

There are also 2 other calcium channel blockers, diltiazem and verapamil, that work slightly differently to lower blood pressure.

There are also lots of other types of medicines to lower your blood pressure. These medicines work in different ways from calcium channel blockers and include:

• ACE inhibitors like ramipril and lisinopril
• angiotensin receptor blockers like candesartan
• beta blockers like bisoprolol
• tablets that make you pee more (diuretics) like bendroflumethiazide
• alpha blockers like doxazosin

If you cannot take lercanidipine or other calcium channel blockers because of side effects, you may be able to switch to another blood pressure-lowering medicine.

Your doctor will advise which one is best for you depending on your age, ethnicity and medical history.

No, there's no evidence that lercanidipine is addictive.

Lercanidipine will not affect your contraception.

But some types of hormonal methods of contraception, like the combined contraceptive pill, vaginal ring and contraceptive patch, are not usually recommended if you have high blood pressure.

Talk to your doctor if you're taking or using combined hormonal contraceptives.

Lercanidipine can make some people feel dizzy.

If this happens to you, do not drive a car, ride a bike, or use tools or machinery until you feel better.

It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking lercanidipine. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.

Yes, you can drink alcohol with lercanidipine. However, drinking alcohol can increase the blood pressure-lowering effect of lercanidipine, which can make you feel sleepy or dizzy or bring on a headache.

If this happens to you, it's best to stop drinking alcohol while you're taking lercanidipine.

Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice.

This is because grapefruit can increase the amount of lercanidipine in your body and cause side effects.

You can boost the health of your heart by making some key lifestyle changes.

These will also help if you have high blood pressure or heart failure.

• Quit smoking – smoking increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Quitting smoking brings down your blood pressure and relieves heart failure symptoms. Try to avoid secondhand smoke.
• Cut down on alcohol – drinking too much alcohol raises blood pressure over time and also makes heart failure worse. Men and women should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week. A standard glass of wine (175ml) is 2 units. A pint of lager or beer is usually 2 to 3 units of alcohol.
• Exercise – regular exercise lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition. It does not need to be too energetic, walking every day is enough.
• Eat well – aim to eat a diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins. It's a good idea to follow these tips for a lower salt diet, too. Eating too much salt is the biggest cause of high blood pressure. The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure will be. Aim for no more than 6g of salt a day.
• Deal with stress – when you're anxious or upset, your heart beats faster, you breathe more heavily, and your blood pressure often goes up. This can make heart failure worse, too. Find ways to reduce stress in your life. To give your heart a rest, try napping or putting your feet up when possible. Spend time with friends and family to be social and help avoid stress.
• Vaccinations – if you have heart failure, it's recommended that you have the flu vaccine every year and the pneumococcal vaccine as recommended by your GP. Ask your doctor about these vaccinations. You can have them free on the NHS. Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination is recommended for most people. Make sure you've had all the doses that you are eligible for. Talk to your doctor if you think you might be in one of the at risk groups.