Prescription medication · Calcium Channel Blocker
felodipine
Also sold as Plendil. Felodipine treats high blood pressure (hypertension).
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 11,019
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 18
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- $0.14
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
felodipine (Plendil) is a prescription Calcium Channel Blocker, reported less often than most tracked drugs (11,019 FDA reports), with 18 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
felodipine (Plendil) is a prescription Calcium Channel Blocker. Felodipine treats high blood pressure (hypertension).
Felodipine is a drug that lowers your blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
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.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from felodipine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
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.
This is a plain-language summary of felodipine's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
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.
This is a plain-language summary of felodipine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
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.
This is a plain-language summary of felodipine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store felodipine at room temperature (68° to 77°F) and protect it from light.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 11,019 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for felodipine, by number of reports
- Feeling tired
Feeling tired
1,050 reports
- Difficulty breathing
Difficulty breathing
953 reports
- Feeling lightheaded
Feeling lightheaded
946 reports
- Loose stools
Loose stools
846 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
846 reports
- Head pain
Head pain
819 reports
- Aches
Aches
795 reports
- Fever
Fever
730 reports
- Throwing up
Throwing up
694 reports
- General discomfort
General discomfort
665 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for felodipine each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where felodipine sits
felodipine has more FDA adverse-event reports than 41% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is felodipine; the line is the median (50th percentile).
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
Reports Mentioning Death
840
7.6% of reports — not proof of cause
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 |
| 13 | PALPITATIONS | 627 |
| 14 | PRURITUS | 622 |
| 15 | CHEST PAIN | 580 |
| 16 | ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT | 578 |
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,...
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.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
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?
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Medication Guides
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FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
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 11,019 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.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
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