Amlodipine is currently the fifth most commonly prescribed drug in the United States. In 2017 alone, there were over 72,508,878 prescriptions. Considering how popular this drug is right now, it pays to know a little bit more about this medication, including how long amlodipine stays in your system.
Mean effective half-life: 30 to 50 hours
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states the following information regarding amlodipine’s half-life:
Mean effective half-life: 30 to 50 hours
Time to steady-state: between 4 and 10 days after starting therapy
Mean accumulation ratio: 3.70
Terminal phase half-life: 55.9 hours
Amlodipine has an oral bioavailability of 64 to 90 percent. Research suggests the drug is excreted slowly from the body.
FAQ
What is the half-life of amlodipine?
The half-life of amlodipine is about 30 to 50 hours.
How long does amlodipine stay in your system?
Considering the drug’s half-life, it could take early 12 days for amlodipine to leave the body. Elderly patients may notice that it takes longer than this.
How long does it take for amlodipine to leave your system?
It takes about 11.5 days (275 hours) for amlodipine to fully leave your system.
What is the peak time for amlodipine?
The peak time of amlodipine is between 6 to 12 hours. That’s how long it takes to achieve the greatest concentration of amlodipine in the blood after taking a single dose.
How long does it take for amlodipine to lower blood pressure?
Amlodipine starts to work after your first dose, but it takes about 7 to 8 days of consecutive daily doses in order to achieve a steady-state antihypertensive (blood-pressure lowering) effect. Just like many other blood pressure medications this is not an “as needed” medication, meaning that when you check your blood pressure just because it isn’t elevated doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your amlodipine. As explained above it takes days to reach full effect and days to leave your body. Always take your medications exactly as prescribed by your physicians.
Disclaimer: this article does not constitute or replace medical advice. If you have an emergency or a serious medical question, please contact a medical professional or call 911 immediately. To see our full medical disclaimer, visit our Terms of Use page.
