Amlodipine

**Semantic type:** Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** A synthetic dihydropyridine and a calcium channel blocker with antihypertensive and antianginal properties. Amlodipine inhibits the influx of extracellular calcium ions into myocardial and peripheral vascular smooth muscle cells, thereby preventing vascular and myocardial contraction. This results in a dilatation of the main coronary and systemic arteries, decreased myocardial contractility, increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the myocardial tissue, and decreased total peripheral resistance. This agent may also modulate multi-drug resistance (MDR) activity through inhibition of the p-glycoprotein efflux pump.

**Synonyms:** - AMLODIPINE