Exforge

Exforge is a prescription medicine used to treat high blood pressure. It is a single tablet containing 2 prescription medications, amlodipine and valsartan. Amlodipine belongs to a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by relaxing muscle of the heart and blood vessels. Valsartan belongs to a group of medications called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). It helps blood vessels to relax.

This medication comes in tablet form. It is taken by mouth, once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of Exforge include swelling, nasal congestion, and dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication affects you.

Exforge is a prescription medicine used to treat high blood pressure.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Exforge may cause serious side effects including:

• harm to an unborn baby causing injury and even death
• low blood pressure (hypotension). Low blood pressure is most likely to happen if you:
  • take water pills
  • are on a low salt diet
  • get dialysis treatments
  • have heart problems
  • get sick with vomiting or diarrhea
  • drink alcohol

Lie down if you feel faint or dizzy. Call your doctor right away.

• more heart attacks and chest pain (angina) in people that already have severe heart problems. This may happen when you start Exforge or when there is an increase in your dose of Exforge. Get emergency help if you get worse chest pain or chest pain that does not go away.
• kidney problems. Kidney problems may become worse in people that already have kidney disease. Some people will have changes in blood tests for kidney function and may need a lower dose of Exforge. Call your doctor if you have swelling in your feet, ankles, or hands or unexplained weight gain. If you have heart failure, your doctor should check your kidney function before prescribing Exforge.
• laboratory blood test changes in people with congestive heart failure. Some people with congestive heart failure who take valsartan, one of the medicines in Exforge, have changes in blood tests including increased potassium and decreased kidney function.

The most common side effects of Exforge include:

• swelling (edema) of the hands, ankles, or feet
• nasal congestion, sore throat and discomfort when swallowing
• upper respiratory tract infection (head or chest cold)
• dizziness

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of Exforge. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some of your other medicines and Exforge could affect each other, causing serious side effects.

Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• simvastatin or other cholesterol lowering medicine
• other medicines for high blood pressure or a heart problem
• water pills (diuretics)
• potassium supplements
• a salt substitute
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen or naproxen)
• medicines used to prevent and treat fungal skin infections (such as Ketoconazole, itraconazole)
• medicines used to treat bacterial infections (such as clarithromycin, telithromycin)
• certain antibiotics (rifamycin group), a drug used to protect against transplant rejection (cyclosporin) or an antiretroviral drug used to treat HIV/AIDS infection (ritonavir). These drugs may increase the effect of valsartan.
• lithium, a medicine used in some types of depression

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your doctor or pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking any new medicine. Your doctor or pharmacist will know what medicines are safe to take together.

• Exforge can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. See "FDA Warning" section.
• Talk to your doctor about other ways to lower your blood pressure if you plan to become pregnant.
• If you get pregnant while taking Exforge, tell your doctor right away.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Exforge, salt substitutes containing potassium should be avoided.

Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
• have heart problems
• have liver problems
• have kidney problems
• are vomiting or having a lot of diarrhea
• have ever had a reaction called angioedema, to another blood pressure medicine. Angioedema causes swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, and may cause difficulty breathing.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• other medicines for high blood pressure or a heart problem
• water pills (diuretics)
• potassium supplements
• a salt substitute
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen or naproxen

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category D. See the Exforge FDA Warning section for details regarding this medication and pregnancy.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Exforge may be excreted in human milk and may harm your nursing baby.

• Take Exforge exactly as your doctor prescribes it. 
• Take Exforge once each day.
• Exforge can be taken with or without food.
• If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, do not take the missed dose. Just take the next dose at your regular time.
• If you take too much Exforge, call your doctor or local Poison Control Center, or go to the emergency room.
• Tell all your doctors or dentist you are taking Exforge if you are going to have surgery or dialysis.

Take Exforge exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The Exforge dose your doctor recommends will be based on the following:

• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication

The maximum recommended daily Exforge dose is 10/320 mg.

If you take too much Exforge call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store Exforge at room temperature between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).
• Keep Exforge dry (protect it from moisture).

WARNING: FETAL TOXICITY                                                    

• When pregnancy is detected, discontinue this medication as soon as possible.
• Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus.