felodipine
Brand names: Plendil
Felodipine is a drug that lowers your blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.14/unit
Generic Available
Yes (7 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Felodipine treats high blood pressure (hypertension).
Common side effects
Swelling in your ankles or feet, Headache, Flushing (redness of face)
Key warnings
If you take certain medicines like ketoconazole, itraconazole, or erythromycin, talk to your doctor.
How It Works
Felodipine is a calcium channel blocker. It works by relaxing and widening your blood vessels. This makes it easier for blood to flow, which lowers blood pressure.
How to Take It
Take felodipine once a day. You can take it without food or with a light meal. Swallow the tablet whole; do not crush or chew it. Your doctor may adjust your dose between 2.5 mg and 10 mg daily, usually every 2 weeks.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if felodipine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about breastfeeding while taking felodipine.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store felodipine at room temperature (68° to 77°F) and protect it from light.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 8,344 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 11,019 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2001–2025.
Total Reports
11,019
Death-Related Reports
840
Hospitalization Reports
4,925
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FATIGUE | 1,051 |
| 2 | DYSPNOEA | 952 |
| 3 | DIZZINESS | 946 |
| 4 | DIARRHOEA | 846 |
| 5 | NAUSEA | 846 |
| 6 | HEADACHE | 819 |
| 7 | PAIN | 794 |
| 8 | PYREXIA | 729 |
| 9 | VOMITING | 694 |
| 10 | MALAISE | 665 |
| 11 | ARTHRALGIA | 649 |
| 12 | OFF LABEL USE | 640 |
| 13 | PALPITATIONS | 627 |
| 14 | PRURITUS | 622 |
| 15 | CHEST PAIN | 580 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
If you take certain medicines like ketoconazole, itraconazole, or erythromycin, talk to your doctor. These drugs can greatly increase the amount of felodipine in your blood, leading to unwanted effects. Also, if you take anticonvulsants like phenytoin, carbamazepine, or phenobarbital, felodipine may not work as well.
Known Drug Interactions
Calcium Channel Blockers Felodipine a Nisoldipine Contraindicated during and 2 weeks after itraconazole treatment.
Mechanism: Itraconazole stops the body from breaking down felodipine, which can lead to dangerously high levels of the blood pressure medicine in your system.
What to do: Do not take these two medicines together, and wait at least two weeks after stopping itraconazole before starting felodipine.
albuterol, systemic and inhaled mebendazole amoxicillin medroxyprogesterone ampicillin, with or without sulbactam methylprednisolone atenolol metronidazole azithromycin metoprolol caffeine, dietary ingestion nadolol cefaclor nifedipine co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) nizatidine diltiazem norfloxacin dirithromycin ofloxacin enflurane omeprazole famotidine prednisone, prednisolone felodipine ranitidine finasteride rifabutin hydrocortisone roxithromycin isoflurane Sorbitol (purgative doses do not inhibit theophylline absorption) isoniazid sucralfate isradipine terbutaline, s...
Mechanism: This blood pressure drug does not change the amount of theophylline that stays in your blood or how the liver handles it.
What to do: No dosage adjustment is typically required, but you should still report any unusual symptoms to your healthcare provider.
Calcium channel blockers amlodipine, diltiazem, felodipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, verapamil ↑ calcium channel blocker Caution is warranted and clinical monitoring of patients is recommended.
Mechanism: This combination slows down the removal of felodipine from your body, which can cause your blood pressure to drop too low.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor you closely for side effects like dizziness or low blood pressure while taking these together.
Beta-Blocking Agents A pharmacokinetic study of felodipine in conjunction with metoprolol demonstrated no significant effects on the pharmacokinetics of felodipine. The AUC and C max of metoprolol, however, were increased approximately 31 and 38%, respectively. In controlled clinical trials, however, beta-blockers including metoprolol were concurrently administered with felodipine and were well tolerated.
Mechanism: Felodipine can increase the amount of metoprolol that stays in your blood. This happens because felodipine changes how the body processes metoprolol.
What to do: These drugs are generally safe to take together. Your doctor will monitor you to ensure the combination is working correctly.
Other Concomitant Therapy In healthy subjects there were no clinically significant interactions when felodipine was given concomitantly with indomethacin or spironolactone.
Mechanism: There is no significant interaction between these two drugs. They do not interfere with how each other works in the body.
What to do: No special changes are usually needed when taking these two drugs together. Continue taking your medications as prescribed.
Common Questions
Can I cut the pill in half?
What should I do if I feel dizzy after taking felodipine?
Can I drink grapefruit juice while taking felodipine?
How long does it take for felodipine to lower my blood pressure?
What if I have kidney problems?
What if I have liver problems?
Can I take felodipine with other blood pressure medicines?
Will felodipine cure my high blood pressure?
Can I stop taking felodipine if my blood pressure is normal?
Are there any foods I should avoid while taking felodipine?
What are the common side effects of felodipine?
Does felodipine interact with other medications?
What drug class is felodipine?
Is felodipine safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Calcium Channel Blocker
Other drugs grouped near felodipine — same-class peers and common alternatives.
acebutolol
Sectral
Acebutolol is a medicine that helps lower blood pressure and control irregular heartbeats.
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aliskiren
Tekturna
Tekturna is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure.
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amiloride
Midamor
Amiloride is a water pill that helps your body hold onto potassium.
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amlodipine
Norvasc
Amlodipine (Norvasc) is a drug that lowers blood pressure and treats chest pain.
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amlodipine/benazepril
Lotrel
Lotrel is a combination medicine that contains amlodipine and benazepril.
Compare with felodipine →
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
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Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for felodipine
The FDA label for felodipine (sold under brand names such as Plendil) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Calcium Channel Blocker class. Felodipine treats high blood pressure (hypertension). Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Swelling in your ankles or feet, Headache, Flushing (redness of face).
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 8,344 voluntary reports. The database also lists 18 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.14.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: December 4, 2023
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages