Formulary
Lercanidipine hydrochloride: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
For all calcium-channel blockers Calcium-channel blockers (less correctly called 'calcium-antagonists') interfere with the inward displacement of calcium ions...
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Lercanidipine hydrochloride: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
For all calcium-channel blockers Calcium-channel blockers (less correctly called 'calcium-antagonists') interfere with the inward displacement of calcium ions...
Drug action
For all calcium-channel blockers Calcium-channel blockers (less correctly called 'calcium-antagonists') interfere with the inward displacement of calcium ions through the slow channels of active cell membranes. They influence the myocardial cells, the cells within the specialised conducting system of the heart, and the cells of vascular smooth muscle. Thus, myocardial contractility may be reduced, the formation and propagation of electrical impulses within the heart may be depressed, and coronary or systemic vascular tone may be diminished. Drug action For lercanidipine hydrochloride Lercanidipine is a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker.
Indications and dose
**Mild to moderate hypertension**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): Initially 10 mg once daily; increased if necessary to 20 mg daily, dose can be adjusted after 2 weeks.
Cautions
For all calcium-channel blockers Elderly Cautions, further information Elderly Screening Tool of Older Persons' potentially inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP) criteria to aid medication reviews (see Prescribing in the elderly for information): potentially inappropriate with persistent postural hypotension i.e. recurrent drop in systolic blood pressure 20 mmHg (risk of syncope and falls). Cautions For lercanidipine hydrochloride Left ventricular dysfunction; sick sinus syndrome (if pacemaker not fitted)
Contraindications
Aortic stenosis; uncontrolled heart failure; unstable angina; within 1 month of myocardial infarction
Side effects
For all calcium-channel blockers Common or very common Abdominal pain; dizziness; drowsiness; fatigue; flushing; headache; hypotension; nausea; palpitations; peripheral oedema; skin reactions; tachycardia; vomiting Uncommon Angioedema; depression; erectile dysfunction; gingival hyperplasia; myalgia; paraesthesia; syncope Overdose Features of calcium-channel blocker poisoning include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, agitation, confusion, and coma in severe poisoning. Metabolic acidosis and hyperglycaemia may occur. In overdose, the dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers cause severe hypotension secondary to profound peripheral vasodilatation. For details on the management of poisoning, see Calcium-channel blockers, under Emergency treatment of poisoning. Side-effects For lercanidipine hydrochloride Rare or very rare Angina pectoris; asthenia; chest pain; diarrhoea; dyspepsia; urinary disorders
Interactions
**Severe interactions:**
- However, a mean increase of 33% in digoxin C max was observed, while AUC and renal clearance were not significantly modified.
- Cimetidine Concomitant administration of cimetidine 800 mg daily does not cause significant modifications in plasma levels of lercanidipine, but at higher doses caution is required since the...
- Simvastatin When a dose of 20 mg of lercanidipine was repeatedly co-administered with 40 mg of simvastatin, the AUC of lercanidipine was not significantly modified, while simvastatin AUC increased...
**Other interactions (22):**
- Contraindications of concomitant use Inhibitors of CYP3A4 Lercanidipine is known to be metabolised by the CYP3A4 enzyme and therefore inhibitors of CYP3A4 administered concurrently may interact with...
- An interaction study with a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor, ketoconazole, has shown a considerable increase in plasma levels of lercanidipine (a 15-fold increase of the AUC and an 8-fold increase of the C...
- Co-prescription of lercanidipine with inhibitors of CYP3A4 (e.g.
- Ciclosporin Increased plasma levels of both lercanidipine and ciclosporin have been observed following concomitant administration.
- A study in young healthy volunteers has shown that when ciclosporin was administered 3 hours after the lercanidipine intake, the plasma levels of lercanidipine did not change, while the AUC of...
- However, the co-administration of lercanidipine with ciclosporin has caused a 3-fold increase of the plasma levels of lercanidipine and a 21% increase of the ciclosporin AUC.
Pregnancy
Manufacturer advises avoid-no information available.
Breast feeding
Manufacturer advises avoid.
Hepatic impairment
For all calcium-channel blockers In general, manufacturers advise caution (risk of increased exposure). Hepatic impairment For lercanidipine hydrochloride Manufacturer advises avoid in severe impairment.
Renal impairment
Caution in mild to moderate impairment; avoid if eGFR less than 30 mL/minute/1.73 m 2 . M See Prescribing in renal impairment .
Medicinal forms
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
Inside MedNext for this topic
- 411 MedNext-authored chapters
- 80,000+ MCQ bank
- 15 study modes
- Growing visual cheat sheets
Study modes
- Notes
- MCQ
- Audio
- Video
- Visual
- 3D Anatomy
- Trace
- Flashcards
- Mnemonics
- Image Bank
- Clinical
- Microscopy
- Audio QBank
- Cadaver
- Book Match
Continue reading
Subject HubPharmacology Hub
All pharmacology resources in one place.
Drug SchedulesIndian Drug Schedules
Schedule H, H1, X and G classifications.
FormularyBrowse all drugs
Search 1,850+ drug profiles.
Study Lercanidipine hydrochloride in the MedNext app
Challenge yourself with targeted pharmacology MCQs on this drug class. Every explanation links back to the chapter that teaches the concept.
Start drug challengeExplore the full formulary

