Amlodipine for Chest Pain

Amlodipine besylate (Norvasc^®) is commonly used to control high blood pressure (hypertension), but healthcare providers also often recommend amlodipine for chest pain (angina) and coronary artery disease.

This medication is part of a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It slows down the rate at which calcium moves into the heart and blood vessel walls. This effect helps to relax the vessels, which allows better blood flow and causes a reduction in blood pressure. It also makes it easier for the heart to pump blood.

In people with exercise-induced angina (chronic stable angina), amlodipine increased the amount of time they could exercise before chest pain occurred. For people with variant angina (Prinzmetal's angina), this medication decreased the number of angina attacks.

(Click Amlodipine for more information about using amlodipine for chest pain, when and how to take the medicine, and warnings and precautions associated with its use.)