{"id":630747,"date":"2024-12-30T09:30:01","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T14:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=630747"},"modified":"2026-04-17T12:36:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T16:36:29","slug":"does-amlodipine-lower-heart-rate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/does-amlodipine-lower-heart-rate\/","title":{"rendered":"Does amlodipine lower heart rate?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sold under brand names such as Amvaz, Katerzia, Norliqva, and <\/span>Norvasc<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>amlodipine<\/span><\/a> is a medication that is <\/span>FDA approved<\/span> for the treatment of <\/span>hypertension<\/span><\/a> (high blood pressure), chronic stable angina (chest pain and pressure), vasospastic angina (coronary artery spasm), and coronary artery disease. It belongs to a class of medications called calcium channel blockers, which is further broken down into two classes: dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers and nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers. <\/span><\/p>\n

Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, such as amlodipine, work by relaxing blood vessels, decreasing how hard your heart has to work to pump blood through the body, while nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers work by affecting the heart muscle, impacting heart rate and contractility. But does amlodipine specifically lower heart rate? Although amlodipine is often a top choice for lowering blood pressure, it has a minimal impact on heart rate\u2014unlike other vasodilators in the nondihydropyridine calcium channel blocker drug class.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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Does amlodipine lower heart rate?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cThe short answer is, \u2018no,\u2019 amlodipine does not affect your heart rate,\u201d says<\/span> Bryan S. Canterbury, MD<\/span>, an emergency medicine physician outside of Boston, Massachusetts. \u201cAny effect on heart rate it might have would be from lowering the peripheral vascular resistance and would be very minor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are other calcium channel blockers that can lower the heart rate, but amlodipine is not one of them,\u201d agrees <\/span>Kevin Rabii, DO<\/span><\/a>, a cardiologist with Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amlodipine vs. other blood pressure medications<\/span><\/h2>\n

Amlodipine is<\/span> a first-line medication<\/span><\/a> for lowering blood pressure. After you take amlodipine, it works by blocking calcium channels in the vascular smooth muscle of your arteries. This causes the arteries to relax, \u201cdecreasing the stiffness of the arteries and reducing the pressure needed to push the blood through,\u201d explains Dr. Canterbury<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although amlodipine doesn\u2019t typically impact your heart rate, other <\/span>antihypertensive medications<\/span><\/a> can, according to Hosam Hmoud, MD, a cardiology fellow at<\/span> Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital<\/span><\/a> in New York, New York. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n

Nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers like <\/b>diltiazem<\/b><\/a>\u00a0or <\/b>verapamil<\/b><\/a>:<\/b> \u201cDiltiazem or verapamil are preferred for treating patients who need both heart rate and blood pressure control, such as those with atrial fibrillation,\u201d Dr. Hmoud explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beta blockers:<\/b> Beta blockers<\/span><\/a> work by blocking hormones like adrenaline, causing blood vessels to relax and blood pressure and heart rate to come down. <\/span>Carvedilol<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>labetalol<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>metoprolol<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>atenolol<\/span><\/a> are more effective in lowering heart rate than amlodipine, say Drs. Hmoud and Canterbury. \u201cOf those, metoprolol is the most common and most effective at lower heart rate,\u201d explains Dr. Canterbury.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: How much does amlodipine cost without insurance?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

8 ways to lower your heart rate<\/span><\/h2>\n

Your heart normally beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. An elevated heart rate is known as tachycardia, which occurs when your heart beats more than 100 times each minute. Although heart rate can increase during normal daily living, from exercise or stress, untreated chronic<\/span> tachycardia can lead to heart issues<\/span><\/a> such as low cardiac output, chest pain, dizziness, heart failure, and heart attacks.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, it\u2019s not recommended that you intentionally lower your heart rate unless you are having a heart problem. \u201cHeart rate can vary, with some individuals having a higher resting heart rate and others a lower,\u201d says Dr. Rabii. \u201cThere are definitely pathological forms of low and fast heart rates, but these are usually accompanied by symptoms such as fainting, dizziness, or palpitations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Chronically elevated heart rates are typically<\/span> caused by medical conditions such as<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n