Calan

Calan Product Description

Drug Uses

Calan is a calcium channel blocker, which expands coronary arteries and coronary arterioles that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. The drug reduces the total peripheral vascular resistance and myocardial oxygen demand.

Calan has antianginal, antiarrhythmic and hypotensive action, so it is used to treat:

• hypertension (essential hypertension)
• tachyarrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter)
• angina (chronic stable angina, angina at rest, vasospastic angina)

The dosage regimen and duration of antihypertensive therapy are set individually considering the disease severity, the patient's condition and the treatment efficiency.

Typically, the treatment is started with a daily dose of Calan 240 mg divided into 3 doses. If necessary, the daily dose of the antihypertensive drug can be gradually increased to Calan 480 mg. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 480mg.

Antihypertensive effect of Calan develops in about 1.5 hours after the intake and lasts about 10 hours. Sustained therapeutic effect of Calan is usually reached during the first week of the systematic use of these tablets.

Missed dose

For sustained antihypertensive effect, patients should follow a prescribed dosage regimen of Calan and not miss the tablets of this antihypertensive drug. If the patient forgets to take the therapeutic dose of the drug, he or she should take it as soon as possible. However, if the interval between the last Calan tablet and the missed one is about 3 hours, the patient should skip the missed dose. The next tablet of Calan should be taken according to the dose schedule.

More Information

Calan tablets are taken during or immediately after eating swallowing whole and using plenty of fluids. Antihypertensive drug should be used with caution in patients with hepatic insufficiency and in elderly patients, since Calan can be slowly excreted from the body in such patients.

Calan use is not recommended during pregnancy. Due to the high risk of side effects in infants, nursing mothers should also renounce the use of Calan tablets.

Storage

Calan modified-release tablets are recommended to be stored in a tight package away from light, at room temperature below 25°C. Throw away Calan at the term indicated on the label.

Calan Safety Information

Warnings

Clinical studies have shown that Calan can affect the pharmacological efficiency of other antiarrhythmic medications (such as, flecainide, disopyramide). Co-administration of these drugs can cause a negative inotropic effect and disrupt atrioventricular conduction.

During antihypertensive therapy, patients are advised to avoid using alcohol, since Calan may increase alcohol concentration in the blood and develop side effects.

In simultaneous use of Calan with neuromuscular blocking drugs, it should be noted that the antihypertensive drug is able to increase the activity of the last ones. Therefore, dose reduction of one of the medications can be required.

Some patients taking Calan together with Telithromycin (semisynthetic antibacterial agent) may develop bradyarrhythmias and hypotension. In simultaneous prescription of Rifampicin with Calan, the dose adjustment of the last one can be required, since Rifampicin is able to lower the hypotensive effect of Calan.

Disclaimer

Information on the treatment of arrhythmia, angina and hypertension published in Calan review is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for consultation with a cardiologist or treating physician. The online pharmacy disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all the information provided in the Calan tablets review.

Calan Side Effects

While using the recommended (optimal) doses of Calan, adverse effects are rare and usually mild and transient. Clinical studies have shown that the most common adverse effects associated with Calan tablets are constipation (7%), nausea (3%) and dizziness (3%). During Calan clinical trials, less than 4% of patients were forced to abandon this antihypertensive agent because of heart failure and hypotension. In Calan overdose, the risk of severe adverse effects that require the withdrawal of this drug increases.