How long does it take for amlodipine to work?

Amlodipine can take more than 8 hours to start working, because it takes a long time to be absorbed. This means it is not a good choice for lowering blood pressure quickly, and other agents, such as hydralazine, clonidine, and nifedipine XL (which work within 1 to 2 hours) are preferred.

Even though amlodipine starts working within 8 hours, it can take 3 to 4 weeks before the full effects are seen. This is because levels of amlodipine accumulate in the blood with repeated, regular dosing, and based on the half-life of amlodipine (which is 30 to 50 hours), it can take 5 to 10 days before blood levels of amlodipine reach steady state (when levels stop fluctuating widely).