Amlodipine is a medication that doctors prescribe to treat high blood pressure and reduce chest pain. Pharmacies in the United States fill millions of amlodipine prescriptions every year.

Some people may be concerned about the side effects of amlodipine, including potential damage to the liver.

Amlodipine can harm your body. It will include tips for the liver, no matter what you are taking.

Your body can absorb other proteins if your body has the right enzymes in it. It helps you get rid of toxins in your body.

These enzymes also break down many medications, including amlodipine. Cytochrome p450 enzymes break down amlodipine into its parts. This enables amlodipine to work in your body and for your body to then discard the waste portions.

Damage to your liver can cause it to release some enzymes into your bloodstream. Recent research has shown that amlodipine can cause levels of the enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) to increase. This suggests that amlodipine may cause drug-induced liver injury.

Researchers don’t quite know how amlodipine may cause liver injury. As the liver breaks amlodipine down, it may form a toxic compound.

People who take amlodipine may experience a mild elevation in their liver enzymes. This usually goes away quickly and doesn’t cause any significant symptoms or effects.

Few case reports exist that connect amlodipine to liver damage. Researchers estimate that liver damage due to any medication occurs in about 14 to 19 per 100,000 people.

In the very few published reports, the liver injury typically occurred 1 to 3 months after starting to take amlodipine.

If a person does experience liver problems after taking amlodipine, they’ll typically have jaundice symptoms. These symptoms include a yellow tint to the skin, flu-like symptoms, and fever.

There are no reports of amlodipine causing long-term damage. When you stop taking the medication, symptoms usually go away.

If your liver is sensitive to amlodipine, you may be at increased risk of liver problems if you take other calcium channel blockers, such as nicardipine, diltiazem, or verapamil.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs when you have more fat than is typical in your liver. Too much fat can contribute to later liver damage. About 23% of people with fatty liver disease (both NAFLD and from alcohol use) have elevated liver enzymes.

Research has not shown amlodipine to contribute to NAFLD. In fact, according to a recent study in mice with NAFLD and hypertension, amlodipine seemed to be protective against NAFLD. You can read more about this in the next section.

“There are no medications that treat NAFLD. Doctors often look for drugs that can help reduce the risk of damage to the body’s organs.”

The researchers in the 2021 study on mice found amlodipine helped to reduce ALT enzymes as well as potential contributors to NAFLD, such as triglycerides and cholesterol.

The study found that amlodipine improved the metabolism of mice. It promoted the growth of beneficialbacteria in the gut and the breaking down of compounds that lead to the progression of NAFLD.

Human trials are needed before we know if amlodipine can protect against NAFLD.

Doctors often prescribe amlodipine to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Research has also shown a link between high blood pressure and NAFLD.

Amlodipine is a drug that can be used to lower blood pressure.

While there are some reports of liver complications from amlodipine, they’re rare. And researchers still don’t know what causes the link.

If you have NAFLD, your doctor will probably consider amlodipine safe to prescribe.

People with the disease can take amlodipine. Your doctor should review the potential side effects of taking amlodipine. These may include:

Patients with or without a disease of the bile duct can experience toxicity.

Amlodipine can lower your blood pressure. Amlodipine can cause side effects, but it is not an uncommon one.

A study found that taking amlodipine could improve the health of the body.

It is important to consider the risks and benefits of amlodipine when you are prescribed it by your doctor.