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Exforge (amlodipine, valsartan) is a combination medication used to treat hypertension, better known as high blood pressure. The medication is suitable for patients age 18 and up.

This product contains two active ingredients, which are:

• Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker which prevents calcium from entering muscle cells in the heart and blood vessels. This action relaxes blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure, improves blood flow, and increases oxygen to the heart.
• Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker which blocks angiotensin II receptors. This action allows smooth muscles in blood vessels walls to relax, causing the widening of blood vessels. It improves blood flow, increases oxygen to the heart, and lowers blood pressure.

It's also possible to buy amlodipine or valsartan on their own, or one or the other in combination with other hypertension medications.

Taking Exforge

Exforge comes in tablets, in a variety of dosage combinations. Treatment is always just once per day, and tablets may be taken with or without food as desired. Sometimes additional hypertension treatments will be given as well, and can influence dosage.

There are typically three scenarios in which a patient may start taking Exforge:

1) The patient is started on Exforge when a doctor considers it unlikely that a single medication will control blood pressure:

• Treatment usually starts with 5/160 mg amlodipine/valsartan per day.
• After one or two weeks of treatment, blood pressure will be evaluated and dosage may be increased if needed.

2) The patient is taking individual prescriptions for amlodipine and valsartan, and wishes to combine them for convenience:

• Treatment starts with the same dosage of individual products in a combined product.
• It is very unlikely dosage adjustments will be needed.

3) The patient is taking either amlodipine or valsartan, but needs an additional medication to control blood pressure:

• Treatment typically (but not always) starts with the same dosage of whichever medication is already being taken. A doctor will determine the strength of the other medication.
• After one or two weeks adjustments will be made if needed.

In all cases, dosage should not exceed 10/320 mg amlodipine/valsartan. It takes a week or two for significant improvement to be seen, and up to four weeks for maximum benefit.

Patients will usually take Exforge over the long term, unless lifestyle changes are made and are sufficient to control blood pressure. Hypertension is notorious for not producing symptoms until damage is severe; it's important to continue taking Exforge even if feeling fine.

Patients who do control blood pressure with medications like Exforge are preventing heart failure, kidney failure, heart attack, or stroke.

Warnings & Side Effects

Those who are taking blood pressure medications for the first time will experience symptoms of a drop in blood pressure; most notably is dizziness when getting up from sitting or laying down. This will pass as the body adjusts to its new, lower blood pressure.

Most people take Exforge with no problems, but a few individuals do experience serious side effects which call for medical attention:

• Fainting
• Changes in urination frequency
• Cloudy or bloody urine
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Severe confusion
• Severe weakness
• Irregular heartbeat

Exforge can interact with a variety of other medications, including other unrelated blood pressure medications, like diuretics. Double-check with a doctor or pharmacist if unsure of the safety of mixing treatments.

Women who are pregnant should not take Exforge; it is known to cause birth defects.