Telmisartan/amlodipine, sold under the brand name Twynsta among others, is a
fixed-dose combination medication used to treat
high blood pressure
Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...
.
It is a combination of
telmisartan, an
angiotensin II receptor antagonist, and
amlodipine, as the besilate, a
calcium channel blocker
Calcium channel blockers (CCB), calcium channel antagonists or calcium antagonists are a group of medications that disrupt the movement of calcium () through calcium channels. Calcium channel blockers are used as antihypertensive drugs, i.e., as ...
.
It is taken
by mouth.
Common side effects include dizziness, swelling, and back pain.
Severe side effects may include
low blood pressure,
kidney problems,
electrolyte problems, and a
heart attack.
Use during
pregnancy may harm the baby.
Telmisartan works by blocking the effects of
angiotensin II
Angiotensin is a peptide hormone that causes vasoconstriction and an increase in blood pressure. It is part of the renin–angiotensin system, which regulates blood pressure. Angiotensin also stimulates the release of aldosterone from the adre ...
while amlodipine works by decreasing calcium ion entry into
smooth muscle
Smooth muscle is an involuntary non-striated muscle, so-called because it has no sarcomeres and therefore no striations (''bands'' or ''stripes''). It is divided into two subgroups, single-unit and multiunit smooth muscle. Within single-unit mus ...
and
heart muscle.
The combination was approved for medical use in the United States in 2009.
The combination is on the
World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.
It is available as a
generic medication
A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Telmisartan Amlodipine
Drugs developed by Boehringer Ingelheim
Combination antihypertensive drugs
World Health Organization essential medicines
Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate