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Semlopin
Last reviewed: 03.07.2025
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Semlopin is a drug with a predominant effect on blood vessels. It is a calcium antagonist.
Indications Semlopina
The drug is prescribed in the following cases:
- arterial hypertension,
- vasospastic angina
- chronic stable angina
Release form
The drug is available in tablets, fourteen pieces per blister, two tablets per package.
Pharmacodynamics
The active ingredient of Semlopin is Amlodipine. Its characteristic action is blocking the flow of calcium ions to the heart muscle.
Relaxing the smooth muscles of blood vessels, Amlodipine, thereby, effectively reduces blood pressure. It is characterized by the following mechanisms of action:
1. Semlopin, expanding the main coronary arteries and arterioles, relieves vascular spasm and saturates the heart muscle with oxygen. Which is especially important for people who suffer from such a pathological condition as Prinzmetal's angina.
2. In addition, Semlopin also acts on peripheral arterioles, reduces the load on the heart and thereby reduces the need for oxygen in the heart muscle.
Amlodipine is characterized by a slow onset of action, which is why patients, as a rule, do not develop an acute decrease in pressure. Using the medication only once a day, the patient reduces blood pressure for 24 hours.
In patients suffering from angina, the time of physical activity increases, the frequency of attacks decreases, and the amount of Nitroglycerin consumed decreases.
The drug can be used by patients with diabetes, asthma or gout, as it does not affect the level of lipids in the blood serum.
Pharmacokinetics
After the start of treatment, Semlopin is gradually adsorbed in the blood serum and reaches its maximum concentration there (within six to twelve hours). Bioavailability will be about 64-80%.
The half-life is approximately 35-50 hours from the start of treatment. After a week of regular intake of Semlopin, its concentration in the body becomes the same. Metabolism mainly occurs with the formation of inactive metabolites. The drug is excreted by the kidneys with urine (approximately sixty percent), while ten percent is excreted unchanged.
In elderly people and with decreased renal function, dosage adjustment is not required. There is very little information on the use of the drug in people with impaired liver function.
Dosing and administration
The drug can only be used by adults, strictly adhering to the doctor's recommendations.
Arterial hypertension. Therapy begins with a minimum dosage of 2.5 mg, and then, depending on the effectiveness and susceptibility of the patient to Semlopin, gradually increases to 5 mg.
Angina pectoris. Semlopin is used both as a motor therapy and in combination with other drugs that reduce the myocardial oxygen demand, with sensitivity to nitrates.
Elderly people. The drug is well tolerated, so there is no need to adjust the treatment regimen. But the dose should be increased carefully, under the supervision of medical personnel.
People with renal pathology. It should be taken into account that Semlopin is not excreted by dialysis. But this category of patients does not require a change in dosage.
People with liver failure. The dose should be selected with caution, since recommendations for mild and moderate pathology have not been established. To begin treatment, a dose of no more than 2.5 mg should be used.
When using the drug, it should be taken into account that the 5 mg tablet cannot be divided.
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Use Semlopina during pregnancy
There is no reliable information about the effect of the drug on the ability to conceive, the safety of using the drug during the gestation and lactation period.
There are only data on some cases of changes in the head of the sperm in patients.
When prescribing the drug during gestation, it is worth scrupulously assessing the possibility of negative effects for the child with a positive result for the mother. In this case, it is advisable to replace Semlopin with an alternative drug, since toxic effects on reproductive function occurred during animal studies.
It is unknown whether Amlodipine can penetrate into breast milk. If Semlopin is prescribed to a nursing mother, lactation should be stopped.
Contraindications
Reasons for refusing treatment with Semlopin may be excessive sensitivity to any component of the drug, severe arterial hypotension or aortic stenosis, shock, heart failure after hemodynamic infarction.
Side effects Semlopina
When using Semlopin in treatment, the following side effects may occur:
- Circulatory and lymphatic system: anemia, decreased number of leukocytes and platelets;
- Immune system: allergy;
- Nervous system: tremor, increased tone, fainting;
- Reproductive system: impotence, sexual dysfunction;
- Skin: hair loss, itching, pigmentation disorders, rash, increased sensitivity to the sun;
- Digestive system: hepatitis, loss of appetite, inflammation of the pancreas, gastritis, dry mouth, bloating, thirst;
- Cardiovascular system: low blood pressure, ischemia, increased heart rate, infarction, angina pectoris;
- Psyche: increased anxiety, depression, sleep disorders;
- Organs of vision: inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye;
- ENT organs: runny nose, nosebleeds, ringing in the ears;
- Rheumatology: joint inflammation, swelling of the shins;
- Urinary system: cystitis, increased urination at night;
- General: increased fatigue, weight loss and weight gain.
Overdose
If the recommendations given by the attending physician are not followed, the patient may develop peripheral vasodilation with tachycardia (reflex) and hypotension.
If the arterial pressure has dropped too low, it is necessary to take the necessary measures to support the cardiovascular system, namely, constant monitoring of the functionality of the heart and lungs, urine output.
In addition, it is worthwhile to wash the stomach and prescribe activated carbon to the patient. The next step will be infusions with saline solution. If this does not increase the pressure, it is necessary to use, if there are no contraindications, vasopressors and intravenous calcium gluconate.
Interactions with other drugs
Semlopin can be combined with treatment with other drugs (for example, NSAIDs, antibiotics, thiazide diuretics, antidiabetic drugs, nitroglycerin, etc.)
Digoxin. Semlopin does not change the concentration of Digoxin and its excretion by the kidneys.
The combined use of Cimetidine with Semlopin does not change the pharmacokinetics of the latter.
The interaction of Semlopin with Warfarin does not change the effect of the latter on blood clotting time.
Grapefruit juice increases the concentration of the drug, but does not affect the effectiveness of lowering blood pressure.
Storage conditions
The storage location must maintain a temperature regime (no more than 25C), and it must be as inaccessible as possible to children.
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Special instructions
Reviews
Due to its low price policy and high efficiency, Semlopin has a lot of positive reviews. Patients who have used the medication note excellent results in the fight to reduce blood pressure, without negative impact on other organs and systems.
Storage conditions
The storage area must be kept at a temperature (no more than 25C), it should be as inaccessible to children as possible.
Shelf life
The medicine is stored for no more than three years.
Attention!
To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "Semlopin" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.
Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.