 is a prescription medicine used to treat high blood pressure. It is a single tablet containing 2 prescription medications, amlodipine and valsartan. Amlodipine belongs to a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by relaxing muscle of the heart and blood vessels. Valsartan belongs to a group of medications called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). It helps blood vessels to relax.This medication comes in tablet form. It is taken by mouth, once a day, with or without... "Pin It")
Exforge Overview
Exforge (generic: amlodipine/valsartan) is a prescription medicine used to treat high blood pressure. It is a single tablet containing 2 prescription medications, amlodipine and valsartan. Amlodipine belongs to a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by relaxing muscle of the heart and blood vessels. Valsartan belongs to a group of medications called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). It helps blood vessels to relax.
Uses of Exforge
Exforge is a prescription medicine used to treat high blood pressure.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Side Effects of Exforge
Exforge may cause serious side effects including:
- harm to an unborn baby causing injury and even death. See “What is the most important information I should know about Exforge?”
- low blood pressure (hypotension). Low blood pressure is most likely to happen if you:
- take water pills
- are on a low salt diet
- get dialysis treatments
- have heart problems
- get sick with vomiting or diarrhea
- drink alcohol
Lie down if you feel faint or dizzy. Call your doctor right away.
- more heart attacks and chest pain (angina) in people that already have severe heart problems. This may happen when you start Exforge or when there is an increase in your dose of Exforge. Get emergency help if you get worse chest pain or chest pain that does not go away.
- kidney problems. Kidney problems may become worse in people that already have kidney disease. Some people will have changes in blood tests for kidney function and may need a lower dose of Exforge. Call your doctor if you have swelling in your feet, ankles, or hands or unexplained weight gain. If you have heart failure, your doctor should check your kidney function before prescribing Exforge.
- laboratory blood test changes in people with congestive heart failure. Some people with congestive heart failure who take valsartan, one of the medicines in Exforge, have changes in blood tests including increased potassium and decreased kidney function.
The most common side effects of Exforge include:
- swelling (edema) of the hands, ankles, or feet
- nasal congestion, sore throat and discomfort when swallowing
- upper respiratory tract infection (head or chest cold)
- dizziness
Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all the possible side effects of Exforge. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Exforge Interactions
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some of your other medicines and Exforge could affect each other, causing serious side effects.
Especially tell your doctor if you take:
- other medicines for high blood pressure or a heart problem
- water pills (diuretics)
- potassium supplements
- a salt substitute
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen or naproxen)
Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your doctor or pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking any new medicine. Your doctor or pharmacist will know what medicines are safe to take together.
Exforge Precautions
- EXFORGE can cause harm or death to an unborn baby.
- Talk to your doctor about other ways to lower your blood pressure if you plan to become pregnant.
- If you get pregnant while taking EXFORGE, tell your doctor right away.
Exforge Food Interactions
Avoid salt substitutes containing potassium while taking Exforge.
Inform MD
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
- have heart problems
- have liver problems
- have kidney problems
- are vomiting or having a lot of diarrhea
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:
- other medicines for high blood pressure or a heart problem
- water pills (diuretics)
- potassium supplements
- a salt substitute
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen or naproxen
Exforge and Pregnancy
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Exforge can cause harm or death to an unborn baby.
Exforge and Lactation
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Exforge may be excreted in human milk and may harm your nursing baby.
Exforge Usage
- Take Exforge exactly as your doctor prescribes it.
- Take Exforge once each day.
- Exforge can be taken with or without food.
- If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, do not take the missed dose. Just take the next dose at your regular time.
- If you take too much Exforge, call your doctor or local Poison Control Center, or go to the emergency room.
- Tell all your doctors or dentist you are taking Exforge if you are going to have surgery or dialysis.
Exforge Dosage
Take Exforge exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.
Amlodipine is an effective treatment of hypertension in once daily doses of 2.5 mg to 10 mg while valsartan is effective in doses of 80 mg to 320 mg. In clinical trials with once daily Exforge (amlodipine and valsartan) using amlodipine doses of 5 mg to 10 mg and valsartan doses of 160 mg to 320 mg, the antihypertensive effects increased with increasing doses.
The hazards [see Warnings and Precautions(5)] of valsartan are generally independent of dose; those of amlodipine are a mixture of dose-dependent phenomena (primarily peripheral edema) and dose-independent phenomena, the former much more common than the latter.
The majority of the antihypertensive effect is attained within 2 weeks after initiation of therapy or a change in dose. The dosage can be increased after 1 to 2 weeks of therapy to a maximum of one 10/320 mg tablet once daily as needed to control blood pressure.
Exforge may be administered with or without food.
Exforge may be administered with other antihypertensive agents.
Elderly patients: Because of decreased clearance of amlodipine, therapy should usually be initiated at 2.5 mg.
Renal Impairment: No initial dosage adjustment is required for patients with mild or moderate renal impairment. Titrate slowly in patients with severe renal impairment.
Hepatic Impairment: No initial dosage adjustment is required for patients with mild or moderate liver insufficiency. Titrate slowly in patients with hepatic impairment.
Add-on Therapy - A patient whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled with amlodipine (or another dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker) alone or with valsartan (or another angiotensin II receptor blocker) alone may be switched to combination therapy with Exforge.
A patient who experiences dose-limiting adverse reactions on either component alone may be switched to Exforge containing a lower dose of that component in combination with the other to achieve similar blood pressure reductions. The clinical response to Exforge should be subsequently evaluated and if blood pressure remains uncontrolled after 3 to 4 weeks of therapy, the dose may be titrated up to a maximum of 10/320 mg.
Replacement Therapy - For convenience, patients receiving amlodipine and valsartan from separate tablets may instead wish to receive tablets of Exforge containing the same component doses.
Initial Therapy - A patient may be initiated on Exforge if it is unlikely that control of blood pressure would be achieved with a single agent. The usual starting dose is Exforge 5/160 mg once daily in patients who are not volume-depleted.
Exforge Overdose
If you take too much Exforge, call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.
Forms of Exforge
Exforge tablets are available in the following strengths: 5/160 mg, 10/160 mg tablets, 5/320 mg tablets, 10/320 mg.
Active ingredients: Amlodipine besylate and valsartan
The inactive ingredients of all strengths of the tablets are colloidal silicon dioxide, crospovidone, magnesium stearate and microcrystalline cellulose. Additionally, the 5/320 mg and 10/320 mg strengths contain iron oxide yellow and sodium starch glycolate. The film coating contains hypromellose, iron oxides, polyethylene glycol, talc and titanium dioxide.
Other Requirements
- Store Exforge at room temperature between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).
- Keep Exforge dry (protect it from moisture).
Exforge FDA Warning
WARNING: FETAL TOXICITY
- When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Exforge as soon as possible.
- Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus.
