Sular Uses

Sular is used for the treatment of high blood pressure. Since the medication has not been adequately studied in children, it has only been approved for use in adults. On occasion, healthcare providers may also prescribe the drug "off-label" for treating other medical conditions. One example of off-label Sular uses is the treatment of chest pain.

 

Sular Uses: An Overview

Sular® (nisoldipine) is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).
 
A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers -- for example, 120/80. The top number is known as the systolic blood pressure, and the bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure. High blood pressure is defined as an average blood pressure higher than 140/90, with multiple blood pressure readings.
 
In clinical studies, Sular has been shown to significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. By lowering blood pressure, Sular can decrease the risk of developing health problems (such as a stroke, heart disease, or congestive heart failure) that can occur with long-term high blood pressure (see Effects of High Blood Pressure). Sular is not a cure for high blood pressure.
 

How Sular Works

Sular is part of a class of drugs called
 calcium channel blockers. It helps slow down the rate at which calcium moves into your heart and into the blood vessel walls. This, in turn, helps to relax the vessels, which allows better blood flow and makes it easier for the heart to pump blood.
 
There are two basic types of calcium channel blockers: dihydropyridine and non-dihydropyridine. The most important difference between the two types is that non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers can slow the heart rate, while dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers do not. Sular is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, which means that it does not usually decrease the heart rate.
 
(Sular Uses Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;