Like all medicines, lercanidipine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
Side effects often improve as your body gets used to the medicine.
Common side effects
These common side effects of lercanidipine happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They're usually mild and do not last long. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Headaches
Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. It's best not to drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Talk to your doctor if headaches last longer than a week or are severe.
Reddening of your face, neck or chest (flushing)
This usually happens when you first start taking lercanidipine. Try cutting down on caffeine and alcohol. If the flushing is also making you feel hot, it might help to keep the room cool and use a fan. You could also spray your face with cool water or sip cold or iced drinks.
The flushing should go away after a few days so try to keep taking lercanidipine. If it does not go away, or if it's causing you problems, contact your doctor.
A fast, pounding or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
If this happens regularly after you take lercanidipine, try taking it somewhere you can sit or lie down when the symptoms are worse.
It may also help to cut down on alcohol, smoking, caffeine and big meals as these can make the effect worse.
Speak to your doctor if you have a history of heart disease and the palpitations last a long time, get worse or do not improve or if you are worried.
Swollen ankles (oedema)
Raise your legs when you're sitting down.
These side effects should go away after the first week of taking lercanidipine. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if this advice does not help or the side effects last longer than this or get worse.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects of lercanidipine are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people.
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- you get chest pain that does not stop after a few minutes or is new or worse if you already have angina
Chest pain is a possible sign of a heart attack and needs to be checked out as soon as possible.
Do not drive yourself to A&E.
The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to lercanidipine.
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Do not drive yourself to A&E.
The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of lercanidipine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet
Reporting side effects
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.
Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.