Lercanidipine (INN) is an antihypertensive (blood pressure lowering) drug. It belongs to the dihydropyridine class of calcium channel blockers, which work by relaxing and opening the blood vessels allowing the blood to circulate more freely around the body. This lowers the blood pressure and allows the heart to work more efficiently.

This drug (trade name Zanidip, among others) acts more slowly than older dihydropyridines.^{[citation needed]} It probably has fewer adverse effects, but a comparatively high potential for drug interactions.

It was patented in 1984 and first approved for medical use in 1997. The FDA refused to approve the drug, and lercanidipine is not marketed in the United States.

Lercanidipine is used for the treatment of essential hypertension (high blood pressure).

Lercanidipine seems to be a good agent in treating hypertensive patients that also have kidney issues.

Like other dihydropyridines, lercanidipine is contraindicated in unstable angina pectoris, uncontrolled cardiac failure, shortly after a myocardial infarction, and in patients with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. It is also contraindicated during pregnancy and in women who may become pregnant, because data regarding safety for the unborn are lacking, as well as in patients with severe liver and renal impairment.

The drug must not be combined with strong inhibitors of the liver enzyme CYP3A4 or with the immunosuppressant drug ciclosporin.

Lercanidipine is generally well tolerated; no single adverse effect has been observed in more than 1% of patients treated with this drug. Typical side effects are similar to those of other drugs of this class and include headache, dizziness, tachycardia (fast heartbeat), palpitations, flush, and oedema. Hypersensitivity reactions occur in less than one patient in 10,000.