Since 1995 - Non Profit Healthcare Advice

Foods and hypertension

01/21/2009

Question:

I am taking Lisinopril and Amplodine daily and have heard that I shouldn`t eat grapefruit. Does grapefruit interfere with my meds?

Answer:

There is no problem with lisinopril and grapefruit juice.  However, calcium channel blockers like felodipine and nifedipine interact with grapefruit juice.  The interaction causes the absorption of the drugs to be increased, and this can theoretically cause exaggerated drops in blood pressure.

Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker.  Although the interaction with grapefruit juice has also been described with amlodipine, the effect seems to be smaller than with the other drugs of this type.

Still, it is recommended that you don’t drink grapefruit juice about two hours before and after taking the amlodipine.

For more information:

Go to the High Blood Pressure health topic.