LERKA

Lerka Information

Lerka, also known under the names of Zanidip or Lercanidipine, is a medicine that belongs to the calcium channel blockers class of medications of the dihydropyridine group of substances. It acts by lowering the blood pressure through reducing the resistance encountered by the blood flow in the vessels and relaxing certain blood vessels.

Hypertension does not cause any symptoms and cannot be detected unless you have your blood pressure checked periodically by a trained health care professional. However, it may lead to severe health hazards if left untreated. High blood pressure may lead to cardiac affections, stroke or renal failure.

Lerka Indications

Due to its effects, Lerka is commonly employed in order to control hypertension and thus greatly reduce the risk of further, more severe medical conditions. Lerka may be used in monotherapy or combined with other medications for hypertension. In some cases, your health care professional may decide to prescribe Lerka as part of the medication regimen for another medical affection. If you are not sure why you should follow a treatment with this pharmaceutical product it is best to ask your prescriber for more information.

Lerka Warnings

You should not take Lerka if you are allergic to this drug, to any of its ingredients or to substances related to Lercanidipine (Nifedipine, Felodipine or Amlodipine). Patients with severe renal or hepatic impairment should not take this medicine; also patients following a medication therapy with Cyclosporin should not be prescribed a treatment with this drug. Children under 18 years of age and pregnant or breast feeding females should not take Lerka. This medicine has not been proven to be safe for use during pregnancy or breast feeding and studies have revealed that it may not be safely employed for the treatment of children.

Lerka Intake Guidelines

You should take your Lerka doses with a full glass of water, preferably 15 minutes before having a meal. This procedure is also efficient as an intake schedule, reducing your risks of missing any medication doses by accident. As the Lerka therapy only helps control your blood pressure, and does not cure hypertension, you may be required to take this medicine indefinitely. Your health care provider will inform you when you should stop your medication therapy. You should not stop taking your medicine without discussing this matter with your doctor first.

Lerka Dosage

Your prescriber will inform you regarding the exact Lerka dosage that you should employ with every intake. You should not use a different dosage than you have been prescribed, and you should not change your intake schedule without consulting with your prescriber. The average Lerka dosage is of 10 mg per day in one single daily intake, however if the situation demands it your personal physician may decide to increase your dosage to up to 20 mg per day. It is best that you always follow your prescriber’s indications regarding the medicine dosage that you should use.

Lerka Overdose

Taking large Lerka doses may cause an overdose with this medicine, characterized by a drop in your blood pressure that may be mild to severe, depending on the ingested medicine quantity. Also, other symptoms of an overdose with this drug include fast or irregular heartbeat and, in severe cases, loss of consciousness. If at any time you believe that you have swallowed too much of the medicine you are strongly advised to seek emergency medical assistance by going to the nearest medical facility, by contacting your personal health care provider or by calling the regional or local poisons center.

Lerka Missed Dose

It is best to consult your prescriber and set up a strict intake schedule for your Lerka doses, as this may help reduce the chances of accidentally missing any of your medicine doses. However, if you happen to forget taking one of your doses you are advised to take it immediately when you remember, if less than 12 hours have passed since the intake was due. If it has been longer than 12 hours, it is best to completely skip the forgotten dose and continue with your normal medication plan. In case you have missed more than one Lerka dose, you should consult with your personal health care professional in order to obtain advice on how to continue your medication therapy.

Lerka Side Effects

Most drugs and medication may cause a number of side effects in a small number of cases. While these adverse effects are typically mild and do not pose a great risk to the patient’s health state, in some cases they may become serious hazards to the individual’s health condition. Among the most severe side effects associated with Lerka therapy, allergic reactions may occur due to a hypersensitivity to this drug or to any of its ingredient substances. This may be manifested through a number of specific symptoms (trouble breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, affections of the skin such as rashes, hives and itching). Other severe side effects may be manifested through angina and fast heart beat.

Among the less severe side effects that may appear during a therapy with this medicine, swelling of the lower legs, ankles or feet, dizziness, headache, flushing, sleepiness, fatigue and gastrointestinal disturbances have been reported. It is best that you report any unexpected occurrences that you may experience during your Lerka therapy to your personal health care provider.

Lerka Drug Reactions

Several drugs may cause interactions with Lerka. As such, you should inform your prescriber before starting your Lerka therapy if you are also taking Cyclosporin, Ritonavir, Itraconazole, Ketoconazole, Fluoxetine, Erythromycin, Cimetidine, Propanolol, Metoprolol, Simvastatin, Digoxin, Quinidine, Carbamazepine or Phenytoin. Your prescriber should also be informed of any other medication you are currently taking.