Adult Dosing
Treatment of hypertension
Initial therapy
- Start amlodipine 5 mg/valsartan 160 mg PO daily in patients who are not volume depleted; may increase after 1-2 wks. [Max: 10 mg/320 mg PO daily]
- Elderly: Start amlodipine 2.5 mg/day
Add-on-therapy
- Start combination at lower dose of either drug, if patient is experiencing dose limiting adverse reactions on either component as monotherapy
- Increase dose after 3-4 wks if needed. Max: [10 mg/320 mg]/day]
Replacement therapy
- Start combination with same prior component doses
Pediatric Dosing
- Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established
- Amlodipine/valsartan cause fetal/neonatal morbidity/mortality when administered to a pregnant woman. Inform the patient of the potential hazard to the fetus if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug [US Black Box Warning]
- Symptomatic hypotension can occur with amlodipine/valsartan therapy especially who are volume-and/or salt-depleted or receiving high doses of diuretics, correct the volume depletion prior to administration of amlodipine/valsartan. if excessive hypotension occurs place the patient in a supine position and, if necessary, given an intravenous infusion of normal saline
- Use cautiously in patients with heart failure or recent myocardial infarction and in patients undergoing surgery or dialysis, as reduction in blood pressure can occur with amlodipine/valsartan
- Increased frequency, duration or severity of angina or acute myocardial infarction has been observed with initiation of calcium channel blocker therapy or at the time of dosage increase, particularly in patients with severe obstructive coronary artery disease
- Hypertensive patients with renal artery stenosis may experience acute renal failure. In patients with severe heart failure whose renal function may depend on the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, treatment with ACE inhibitors may be associated with oliguria and/or progressive azotemia and (rarely) with acute renal failure and/or death. Use with caution in severe CHF
Cautions: Use cautiously in
- Renal impairment
- Hepatic impairment
- Renal artery stenosis
- Volume depletion
- Hyponatremia
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Severe obstructive coronary artery disease
- Severe Aortic stenosis
- Post MI
- Patient undergoing surgery
- Patient undergoing dialysis
Pregnancy Category:D
Breastfeeding: No data for the use of amlodipine during breastfeeding, alternate drug may be preferred. Also no data for the use of valsartan during breastfeeding, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant. This information is based upon LactMed database (available at http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT last accessed 18 February 2011). As per manufacturer data it is not known whether amlodipine or valsartan is excreted in breast milk, as many drugs are excreted into human milk and because of the potential for adverse reactions in nursing infants from amlodipine/valsartan, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
US Trade Name(s)
US Availability
amlodipine/valsartan (generic)
- TABS:
- 5 mg/160 mg
- 5 mg/320 mg
- 10 mg/160 mg
- 10 mg/320 mg
Exforge (amlodipine/valsartan)
- TABS:
- 5 mg/160 mg
- 5 mg/320 mg
- 10 mg/160 mg
- 10 mg/320 mg
Canadian Trade Name(s)
Canadian Availability
UK Trade Name(s)
UK Availability
Exforge (amlodipine/valsartan)
- TABS:
- 5 mg/80 mg
- 5 mg/160 mg
- 10 mg/160 mg
Australian Trade Name(s)
Australian Availability
Exforge (amlodipine/valsartan)
- TABS:
- 5 mg/80 mg
- 5 mg/160 mg
- 10 mg/160 mg
Pricing data from www.DrugStore.com in U.S.A.
- Exforge 5-160 MG TABS [Bottle] (NOVARTIS)
30 mg = $119.99
90 mg = $341.97 - Exforge 10-160 MG TABS [Bottle] (NOVARTIS)
30 mg = $135.99
90 mg = $375.99 - Exforge 10-320 MG TABS [Bottle] (NOVARTIS)
30 mg = $169.99
90 mg = $485.97 - Exforge 5-320 MG TABS [Bottle] (NOVARTIS)
30 mg = $151
90 mg = $433.98
Warning: This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.