Norliqva Drug Information

Generic name: AMLODIPINE

Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker [EPC] Calcium Channel Blocker [EPC]

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Uses of Norliqva

Hypertension NORLIQVA ® is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure in adults and children 6 years of age and older. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes including NORLIQVA.

Control of high blood pressure should be part of comprehensive cardiovascular risk management, including, as appropriate, lipid control, diabetes management, antithrombotic therapy, smoking cessation, exercise, and limited sodium intake. Many patients will require more than one drug to achieve blood pressure goals. For specific advice on goals and management, see published guidelines, such as those of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program's Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC).

Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction, and not some other pharmacologic property of the drugs, that is largely responsible for those benefits. The largest and most consistent cardiovascular outcome benefit has been a reduction in the risk of stroke, but reductions in myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality also have been seen regularly. Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure causes increased cardiovascular risk, and the absolute risk increase per mmHg is greater at higher blood pressures, so that even modest reductions of severe hypertension can provide substantial benefit.

Relative risk reduction from blood pressure reduction is similar across populations with varying absolute risk, so the absolute benefit is greater in patients who are at higher risk independent of their hypertension (for example, patients with diabetes or hyperlipidemia), and such patients would be expected to benefit from more aggressive treatment to a lower blood pressure goal. Some antihypertensive drugs have smaller blood pressure effects (as monotherapy) in black patients, and many antihypertensive drugs have additional approved indications and effects (e.g., on angina, heart failure, or diabetic kidney disease). These considerations may guide selection of therapy.

NORLIQVA may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Chronic Stable Angina NORLIQVA is indicated for the symptomatic treatment of chronic stable angina. Vasospastic Angina (Prinzmetal's or Variant Angina) NORLIQVA is indicated for the treatment of confirmed or suspected vasospastic angina. NORLIQVA may be used as monotherapy or in combination with other antianginal agents.

Angiographically Documented CAD In patients with recently documented CAD by angiography and without heart failure or an ejection fraction <40%, NORLIQVA is indicated to reduce the risk of hospitalization for angina and to reduce the risk of a coronary revascularization procedure.

Dosage & Administration of Norliqva

  • Adult recommended starting dose: 5 mg orally once daily with a maximum of 10 mg orally once daily. Small, fragile, or elderly patients, or patients with hepatic insufficiency may be started on 2.5 mg orally once daily. Adjust dosage according to blood pressure goals. In general, wait 7 to 14 days between titration steps. Titrate more rapidly, however, if clinically warranted, provided the patient is assessed frequently.
  • Angina: The recommended dose for chronic stable or vasospastic angina is 5 mg to 10 mg orally once daily, with the lower dose suggested in the elderly and in patients with hepatic insufficiency. Most patients will require 10 mg orally once daily for adequate effect.
  • Coronary artery disease: The recommended dose range for patients with coronary artery disease is 5 mg to 10 mg orally once daily. Doses in excess of 5 mg daily have not been studied in pediatric patients.

Side Effects of Norliqva

Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Amlodipine has been evaluated for safety in more than 11,000 patients in U.S. and foreign clinical trials. In general, treatment with amlodipine was well-tolerated at doses up to 10 mg daily.

Most adverse reactions reported during therapy with amlodipine were of mild or moderate severity. In controlled clinical trials directly comparing amlodipine (N=1730) at doses up to 10 mg to placebo (N=1250), discontinuation of amlodipine because of adverse reactions was required in only about 1.5% of patients and was not significantly different from placebo (about 1%). The most commonly reported adverse reactions more frequent than placebo are reflected in the table below.

The incidence (%) of adverse reactions that occurred in a dose-related manner are as follows: Other adverse reactions that were not clearly dose-related but were reported include: Amlodipine (%) (N=1730) Placebo (%) (N=1250) Fatigue 4.5 2.8 Nausea 2.9 1.9 For several adverse reactions that appear to be drug and dose related, there was a greater incidence in women than men associated with amlodipine treatment as shown in the following table:

Postmarketing Experience

Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. General: gynecomastia Hepatic: jaundice and hepatic enzyme elevations, some requiring hospitalization Neurologic: extrapyramidal disorder

AmlodipinePlacebo
2.5 mg N=2755 mg N=29610 mg N=268N=520
Edema1.83.010.80.6
Dizziness1.13.43.41.5
Flushing0.71.42.60.0
Palpitation0.71.44.50.6
Amlodipine (%) (N=1730)Placebo (%) (N=1250)
Fatigue4.52.8
Nausea2.91.9
AmlodipinePlacebo
Male=% (N=1218)Female=% (N=512)Male=% (N=914)Female=% (N=336)
Edema5.614.61.45.1
Flushing1.54.50.30.9
Palpitations1.43.30.90.9
Somnolence1.31.60.80.3

Warnings & Cautions for Norliqva

Hypotension

Symptomatic hypotension is possible, particularly in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Because of the gradual onset of action, acute hypotension is unlikely.

Increased Angina or Myocardial Infarction

Worsening angina and acute myocardial infarction can develop after starting or increasing the dose of NORLIQVA, particularly in patients with severe obstructive coronary artery disease.

Patients with Hepatic Failure

Because amlodipine is extensively metabolized by the liver and the plasma elimination half-life (t 1/2 ) is 56 hours in patients with impaired hepatic function, titrate slowly when administering NORLIQVA to patients with severe hepatic impairment.

Drug Interactions with Norliqva

Impact of Other Drugs on Amlodipine CYP3A Inhibitors Co-administration with CYP3A inhibitors (moderate and strong) results in increased systemic exposure to amlodipine and may require dose reduction. Monitor for symptoms of hypotension and edema when amlodipine is co-administered with CYP3A inhibitors to determine the need for dose adjustment. CYP3A Inducers No information is available on the quantitative effects of CYP3A inducers on amlodipine.

Blood pressure should be closely monitored when amlodipine is co-administered with CYP3A inducers.

Impact of Amlodipine on Other Drugs Simvastatin Co-administration of simvastatin with amlodipine increases the systemic exposure of simvastatin. Limit the dose of simvastatin in patients on amlodipine to 20 mg daily. Immunosuppressants Amlodipine may increase the systemic exposure of cyclosporine or tacrolimus when co-administered.

Frequent monitoring of trough blood levels of cyclosporine and tacrolimus is recommended and adjust the dose when appropriate.

Pregnancy Safety for Norliqva

Pregnancy Risk Summary: The limited available data based on post-marketing reports with amlodipine use in pregnant women are not sufficient to inform a drug-associated risk for major birth defects and miscarriage. There are risks to the mother and fetus associated with poorly controlled hypertension in pregnancy In animal reproduction studies, there was no evidence of adverse developmental effects when pregnant rats and rabbits were treated orally with amlodipine maleate during organogenesis at doses approximately 10 and 20-times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD), respectively. However for rats, litter size was significantly decreased (by about 50%) and the number of intrauterine deaths was significantly increased (about 5-fold).

Amlodipine has been shown to prolong both the gestation period and the duration of labor in rats at this dose. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss or other adverse outcomes.

In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2%–4% and 15%–20%, respectively. Clinical Considerations Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk Hypertension in pregnancy increases the maternal risk for pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature delivery, and delivery complications (e.g., need for cesarean section and post-partum hemorrhage). Hypertension increases the fetal risk for intrauterine growth restriction and intrauterine death.

Pregnant women with hypertension should be carefully monitored and managed accordingly. Data Animal Data No evidence of teratogenicity was found when pregnant rats and rabbits were treated orally with amlodipine maleate at doses up to 10 mg amlodipine/kg/day (approximately 10 and 20 times the MRHD based on body surface area, respectively) during their respective periods of major organogenesis.

Pediatric Use of Norliqva

Pediatric Use Amlodipine (2.5 to 5 mg daily) is effective in lowering blood pressure in patients 6 years of age and older. Effect of amlodipine on blood pressure in patients less than 6 years of age is not known.

Contraindications for Norliqva

NORLIQVA is contraindicated in patients with sensitivity to amlodipine. Sensitivity to amlodipine

Overdosage Information for Norliqva

Overdosage might be expected to cause excessive peripheral vasodilation with marked hypotension and possibly a reflex tachycardia. Single oral doses of amlodipine maleate equivalent to 40 mg amlodipine/kg and 100 mg amlodipine/kg in mice and rats, respectively, caused deaths. Single oral amlodipine maleate doses equivalent to 4 or more mg amlodipine/kg or higher in dogs (11 or more times the maximum recommended human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) caused a marked peripheral vasodilation and hypotension.

If massive overdose should occur, initiate active cardiac and respiratory monitoring. Frequent blood pressure measurements are essential. Should hypotension occur, provide cardiovascular support including elevation of the extremities and the judicious administration of fluids.

If hypotension remains unresponsive to these conservative measures, consider administration of vasopressors (such as phenylephrine) with attention to circulating volume and urine output. As amlodipine is highly protein bound, hemodialysis is not likely to be of benefit.

Clinical Studies of Norliqva

Effects in Vasospastic Angina In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 4 weeks duration in 50 patients, amlodipine therapy decreased attacks by approximately 4/week compared with a placebo decrease of approximately 1/week (p<0.01). Although the study did not show significance on the primary objective of change in coronary luminal diameter as assessed by quantitative coronary angiography, the data suggested a favorable outcome with respect to fewer hospitalizations for angina and revascularization procedures in patients with CAD. CAMELOT enrolled 1318 patients with CAD recently documented by angiography, without left main coronary disease and without heart failure or an ejection fraction <40%.

The mean duration of follow-up was 19 months. The primary endpoint was the time to first occurrence of one of the following events: hospitalization for angina pectoris, coronary revascularization, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death, resuscitated cardiac arrest, hospitalization for heart failure, stroke/TIA, or peripheral vascular disease. The primary endpoint is summarized in Figure 1 below.

The outcome of this study was largely derived from the prevention of hospitalizations for angina and the prevention of revascularization procedures (see Table 1). Effects in various subgroups are shown in Figure 2. In an angiographic substudy (n=274) conducted within CAMELOT, there was no significant difference between amlodipine and placebo on the change of atheroma volume in the coronary artery as assessed by intravascular ultrasound.

Figure 1 - Kaplan-Meier Analysis of Composite Clinical Outcomes for Amlodipine versus Placebo Figure 2 – Effects on Primary Endpoint of Amlodipine versus Placebo across Sub-Groups Table 1 below summarizes the significant composite endpoint and clinical outcomes from the composites of the primary endpoint. The other components of the primary endpoint including cardiovascular death, resuscitated cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure, stroke/TIA, or peripheral vascular disease did not demonstrate a significant difference between amlodipine and placebo. Table 1 – Incidence of Significant Clinical Outcomes for CAMELOT 78 103 27% Total patients with these events Figure 1 - Kaplan-Meier Analysis of Composite Clinical Outcomes for Amlodipine versus Placebo Figure 2 – Effects on Primary Endpoint of Amlodipine versus Placebo across Sub-Groups

Studies in Patients with Heart Failure Amlodipine has been compared to placebo in four 8–12 week studies of patients with NYHA Class II/III heart failure, involving a total of 697 patients. In these studies, there was no evidence of worsened heart failure based on measures of exercise tolerance, NYHA classification, symptoms, or left ventricular ejection fraction. In a long-term (follow-up at least 6 months, mean 13.8 months) placebo-controlled mortality/morbidity study of amlodipine 5–10 mg in 1153 patients with NYHA Classes III (n=931) or IV (n=222) heart failure on stable doses of diuretics, digoxin, and ACE inhibitors, amlodipine had no effect on the primary endpoint of the study which was the combined endpoint of all-cause mortality and cardiac morbidity (as defined by life-threatening arrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction, or hospitalization for worsened heart failure), or on NYHA classification, or symptoms of heart failure.

Another study (PRAISE-2) randomized patients with NYHA Class III (80%) or IV (20%) heart failure without clinical symptoms or objective evidence of underlying ischemic disease, on stable doses of ACE inhibitors (99%), digitalis (99%), and diuretics (99%), to placebo (n=827) or amlodipine (n=827) and followed them for a mean of 33 months. There was no statistically significant difference between amlodipine and placebo in the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality (95% confidence limits from 8% reduction to 29% increase on amlodipine). With amlodipine there were more reports of pulmonary edema.

Clinical Outcomes N (%)Amlodipine (N=663)Placebo (N=655)Risk Reduction (p-value)
Composite CV Endpoint110 (16.6)151 (23.1)31% (0.003)
Hospitalization for Angina*51 (7.7)84 (12.8)42% (0.002)
Coronary Revascularization*78 (11.8)103 (15.7)27% (0.033)

Drug information sourced from the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before making any medication decisions.

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