Felo 5 ER (Felodipine 5mg)

Felo ER general information

What is Felo ER used for?

Felo ER tablets 5mg are used to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, which is high blood pressure when at rest. High blood pressure increases risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack, although there are usually no other symptoms. Felo 5 ER reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, by lowering blood pressure to normal resting levels. Felo ER tablets 5mg are also used to treat chronic stable angina, to prevent symptoms like chest pain and to prevent heart attack and is particularly helpful in patients who also have left ventricular hypertrophy (enlargement of ventricles or lower chambers in the heart). Felo ER 5 is not used for acute angina, which requires a different type of medication to relieve symptoms. Felo ER 5 can be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive medications such as diuretics or beta-blockers.

How does Felo ER work?

Felo ER tablets 5mg contain felodipine, a calcium channel blocker that inhibits the inflow of calcium ions across specific calcium channels in the cell membrane of vascular (blood vessels) smooth muscle cells of arteries but not veins. Felodipine in Felo ER tablets 5mg is a highly selective calcium antagonist and has no effect on the smooth muscle cells of the heart (myocardium). Calcium is needed for smooth muscle cells to contract, so by blocking calcium channels, Felo ER prevents smooth muscle cells contraction and this causes peripheral arteries to relax and widen (vasodilation). Vasodilation of peripheral arteries results in a reduction in peripheral vascular resistance to blood flow, reduces the workload on the heart (the force needed for the heart to pump blood around the body), increases oxygen supply to the heart, and decreases blood pressure. Felo 5 ER also causes widening of the main arteries of the heart, increasing the oxygen supply to the heart and, as the heart workload is reduced, the demand for oxygen is also reduced, which prevents chest pain symptoms of angina caused by lack of oxygen to the heart muscle. Felo ER tablets 5mg are formulated for extended release which means that one tablet is effective over a 24-hour period.

What does Felo ER contain?

Felo ER tablets 5mg contain the active ingredient felodipine, used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and chronic stable angina. They also contain lactose, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, propyl gallate, hypromellose, propylene glycol, purified talc, titanium dioxide (E171), iron oxide red (E172), iron oxide yellow (E172).

What doses of Felo ER are available?

Felo ER tablets are available online form Inhouse Pharmacy in 2 doses:

• 5mg ER tablets
• 10mg ER tablets

Treating hypertension (high blood pressure) with Felo ER

Felo ER tablets 5mg contain felodipine, a calcium channel blocker that is used to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension (high blood pressure at rest). Although there are usually no other symptoms, high blood pressure increases risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack. Felodipine in Felo ER tablets 5mg is a highly selective vascular (blood vessels) calcium antagonist that blocks the inflow of calcium ions into smooth muscle cells of blood vessel walls (only arteries). Calcium is needed for contraction of smooth muscle cells, and by blocking calcium channels Felo 5 ER causes peripheral arteries to relax and widen (vasodilation), which leads to a reduction in peripheral vascular resistance to blood flow, reduces the workload on the heart (the force needed for the heart to pump blood around the body), increases oxygen supply to the heart, and decreases blood pressure. By lowering blood pressure Felo ER tablets 5mg help reduce risk of cardiovascular disease including stroke and heart attack.

Treating angina with Felo ER

Felo ER tablets 5mg contain felodipine, a calcium channel blocker used to treat chronic stable angina, which is chest pain brought on by exercise or stress. Felodipine in Felo ER tablets 5mg blocks the inflow of calcium ions, needed for contraction, into smooth muscle cells of the peripheral blood vessel walls (only arteries not veins), which causes blood vessel walls to relax and peripheral arteries to widen (vasodilation). Felo ER tablets 5mg reduces the workload on the heart and its demand for oxygen, while at the same time increasing oxygen supply to the heart, which prevents chest pain symptoms of angina caused by lack of oxygen to the heart muscle.

What are the side effects of Felo ER?

The most commonly reported side effects when taking Felo ER tablets 5mg include: headache, dizziness, flushing, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), palpitations, oedema (swelling of the ankles, feet, face or hands), flushing, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain

When should Felo ER not be used?

You should not use Felo ER tablets 5mg if you:

• are allergic to felodipine or any ingredients in Felo 5 ER
• are pregnant
• have uncompensated heart failure, acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), unstable angina
• if you drink large amounts of grapefruit juice as this can reduce the blood pressure lowering effect Felo5 ER
• are taking medicines that interact with Felo 5 ER, including : the antibiotic rifampicin, the antiepileptics phenytoin and carbamazepine, cimetidine for gastric ulcers or reflux, barbiturates (sleeping pills), the immunosuppressant tacrolimus, the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin

What medications interact with Felo ER?

Several medications interact with Felo 5 ER and should either not be taken while you are taking Felo 5 ER or only after discussion and instruction from your doctor:

• Drugs that affect Felo ER: the antibiotic rifampicin, the antiepileptics phenytoin and carbamazepine, cimetidine for gastric ulcers or reflux, barbiturates (sleeping pills), the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin
• Drugs that are affected by Felo ER: the immunosuppressant tacrolimus

How should Felo ER be taken?

You should take your Felo ER tablets 5mg once daily swallowed whole, either without food or after a light meal (not rich in fat or carbohydrate). The dose you take depends on what you are being treated for and your doctor may increase your dose, If required. You should continue to take your Felo 5 ER for as long as recommended by your doctor, which may be for the rest of your life.

How long should you take Felo ER?

You should continue to take your Felo ER tablets 5mg for as long as recommended by your doctor, which may be for the rest of your life.

Missed dose of Felo ER

If you miss a dose of Felo 5 ER tablets take it as soon as you remember, unless it is time to take the next dose, then skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose.

How should Felo ER be stored?

You should store your Felo ER below 25°C in a cool dry place.