Amlodipine (Norvasc) Nursing Considerations
Included In This Lesson
Study Tools For Amlodipine (Norvasc) Nursing Considerations
Outline
Generic Name
Amlodipine
Trade Name
Norvasc
Indication
Hypertension, angina
Action
Blocks transport of calcium into muscle cells inhibiting excitation and contraction
Therapeutic Class
Antihypertensive
Pharmacologic Class
Ca channel blocker
Nursing Considerations
• May cause gingival hyperplasia
• Grapefruit juice may increase drug level
• Monitor blood pressure and pulse prior to and during therapy
• Monitor intake and output
• Assess for signs of CHF
• Assess characteristics of angina
• Instruct patient of interventions for hypertension and how to take blood
pressure
Transcript
Hey guys, let’s talk about amlodipine. Also known as Norvasc. This medication comes in an oral suspension and also a tablet as seen here in this picture. Remember that the therapeutic class is what the drug does in the body and the pharmacologic class is the actual chemical effect. So for amlodipine, its therapeutic class is anti-hypertensive, which means it reduces blood pressure and it does this by blocking calcium into vascular smooth muscle and cardiac muscle. Okay. So what is amlodipine’s action? It blocks the transport of calcium into the muscle cells and it inhibits the excitation and contraction that leads to things like hypertension and angina, which is why amlodipine is indicated for these issues. So a few of the side effects of amlodipine include a headache, swelling of the feet and ankles, and even dizziness. Guys, these side effects tend to be more common with the higher doses of the drug.
Okay, so let’s look at some nursing considerations with amlodipine, assess your patient for signs of CHF and angina, monitor your patient’s blood pressure and pulse. The drug level is increased by grapefruit juice. So make sure your patient is aware of this. Amlodipine may cause gingival hyperplasia, which is an overgrowth of gum tissue. So let your patient know about this. And also teach your patient appropriate hypertension interventions, including how to take their own blood pressure. Guys, I actually had a patient once who had this gum issue and it was later realized that it might be because of long-term amlodipine use. That’s it for amlodipine or Norvasc. Now go out and be your best self today and as always happy nursing.
Tiona RN
Concepts Covered:
- Studying
- Medication Administration
- Adult
- Emergency Care of the Cardiac Patient
- Intraoperative Nursing
- Microbiology
- Cardiac Disorders
- Vascular Disorders
- Nervous System
- Upper GI Disorders
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Brain
- Immunological Disorders
- Fundamentals of Emergency Nursing
- Dosage Calculations
- Understanding Society
- Circulatory System
- Concepts of Pharmacology
- Hematologic Disorders
- Newborn Care
- Adulthood Growth and Development
- Disorders of Pancreas
- Postoperative Nursing
- Pregnancy Risks
- Neurological
- Postpartum Complications
- Noninfectious Respiratory Disorder
- Peripheral Nervous System Disorders
- Learning Pharmacology
- Prenatal Concepts
- Tissues and Glands
- Developmental Considerations
- Factors Influencing Community Health
- Childhood Growth and Development
- Prenatal and Neonatal Growth and Development
- Developmental Theories
- Basic
- Neonatal
- Pediatric
- Gastrointestinal
- Newborn Complications
- Labor Complications
- Fetal Development
- Terminology
- Labor and Delivery
- Postpartum Care
- Communication
- Basics of Mathematics
- Statistics
- Basics of Sociology
- Cardiovascular
- Shock
- Shock
- Disorders of the Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Endocrine
- Disorders of the Thyroid & Parathyroid Glands
- Liver & Gallbladder Disorders
- Lower GI Disorders
- Respiratory
- Delegation
- Perioperative Nursing Roles
- Acute & Chronic Renal Disorders
- Respiratory Emergencies
- Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
- Documentation and Communication
- Preoperative Nursing
- Legal and Ethical Issues
- Oncology Disorders
- Female Reproductive Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Trauma
- Renal Disorders
- Male Reproductive Disorders
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Infectious Respiratory Disorder
- Integumentary Disorders
- Emergency Care of the Trauma Patient
- Urinary Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Neurological Emergencies
- Disorders of Thermoregulation
- Neurological Trauma
- Basics of NCLEX
- Integumentary Important Points
- Multisystem
- Test Taking Strategies
- Urinary System
- Emergency Care of the Neurological Patient
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Spinal Cord
- Respiratory System
- Emergency Care of the Respiratory Patient
- Cognitive Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders
- Depressive Disorders
- Trauma-Stress Disorders
- Substance Abuse Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Psychotic Disorders
- Concepts of Mental Health
- Eating Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Health & Stress
- Psychological Emergencies
- Somatoform Disorders
- Prioritization
- Community Health Overview
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Respiratory Disorders
- Neurologic and Cognitive Disorders
- Renal and Urinary Disorders
- Infectious Disease Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Hematologic Disorders
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
- Oncologic Disorders
- Behavior
- Emotions and Motivation
- Growth & Development
- Intelligence and Language
- Psychological Disorders
- State of Consciousness
- Note Taking
- Concepts of Population Health
- Basics of Human Biology