Exforge Tablets 10/160mg

Medicine Name: Exforge Tablets 10/160mg

📘 Exforge Tablets – Product Specification Sheet
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🔒 Requires Prescription
Yes
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💊 Generic Name
Amlodipine Besilate + Valsartan
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🩺 Therapeutic Use
Management of Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
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⚙️ Mechanism of Action
•    Amlodipine: A calcium channel blocker that inhibits the influx of calcium ions into vascular smooth muscle and cardiac muscle, causing vasodilation and reduced blood pressure.
•    Valsartan: An angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) that prevents vasoconstriction and aldosterone secretion, promoting vasodilation.
•    Combined Effect: The combination offers additive antihypertensive effects, reducing blood pressure more effectively than either agent alone.
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💡 Indications
•    Indicated for treatment of essential hypertension in adults, especially in patients requiring combination therapy due to inadequate control on monotherapy.
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🚫 Contraindications (When Not to Use)
•    Hypersensitivity to amlodipine, valsartan, dihydropyridine derivatives, or any excipients.
•    Severe hepatic impairment, biliary cirrhosis, or cholestasis.
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⚠️ Warnings
1.    Hyperkalemia Risk: Caution with potassium-sparing agents, supplements, salt substitutes, and other medications that raise potassium levels (e.g., heparin). Monitor potassium levels regularly.
2.    Not for Hypertensive Crisis: The combination’s safety in acute hypertensive emergencies is not established.
3.    Angioedema: May cause angioedema (especially with valsartan). Discontinue immediately if symptoms occur; do not reinitiate.
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🧪 Precautions
•    Use cautiously in patients with:
o    Renal artery stenosis (especially unilateral or single-kidney cases)
o    Renal dysfunction (monitor creatinine and urea)
o    Elderly patients and those on diuretics (risk of hypotension)
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⚠️ Common Side Effects
•    General: Fatigue, asthenia, facial or peripheral edema
•    Cardiovascular: Hypotension, tachycardia, palpitations, orthostatic hypotension
•    Gastrointestinal: Abdominal discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth
•    Neurological: Dizziness (including postural), somnolence, headache, paraesthesia, visual disturbances
•    Metabolic: Hypokalemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, hyponatremia, anorexia
•    Musculoskeletal: Arthralgia, back pain, joint swelling
•    Respiratory: Nasopharyngitis, cough, pharyngolaryngeal pain
•    Skin: Rash, erythema, flushing, hot flush
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💊 Drug Interactions
Avoid or monitor with:
•    Other antihypertensives (additive effect)
•    Grapefruit juice (affects amlodipine metabolism)
•    CYP3A4 inhibitors/inducers (e.g., erythromycin, ketoconazole, rifampicin, St. John’s Wort)
•    Simvastatin (risk of elevated plasma levels)
•    Lithium (risk of toxicity)
•    NSAIDs (may reduce antihypertensive effect)
•    Potassium-altering agents
•    Sildenafil (additive hypotensive effects)
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🧴 Storage
Yes
Store at room temperature, in a dry place, away from direct heat and light.
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🤰 Pregnancy Category
⚠️ Not recommended during pregnancy. Always consult a physician before use.