Medications

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Medications to Help Your Heart

As part of your treatment plan, your doctor may prescribe medications for your heart condition and any underlying condition you have. These medications may improve the way your heart pumps and relieve some of your symptoms. Some medications can cause side effects. Be sure to tell your doctor about any you notice after starting your medication. Side effects may include nausea, dry cough, dizziness, muscle cramps, or changes in your heart rhythm.

Medications for heart disease and how they work

Medication
categories and names

Effects

Angiotension Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors:

Captopril (Capoten®)
Enalopril (Vasotec®)
Fosinopril (Monopril®)
Lisinopril (Zestril®, Prinivil®)
Quinapril (Accupril®)
Ramipril (Altace®)

• •	open blood vessels for better blood flow lower blood pressure, which makes it easier for the heart to pump

Angiotension Receptor Blockers (ARBs):

Candesartan (Atacand®)
Irbesartan (Avapro®)
Losartan (Cozaar®)
Valsartan (Diovan®)

• •	make the heart pump more effectively slows and regulates heartbeat

Antiarrhythmics:

Amiodarone (Cordarone®,Pacerone®)

Procainamide
(Procanbid®, Pronestyl®)

Sotolol
(Betapace®, Betapace AF®)

•	regulate heart rate and rhythm

Anticoagulants:

Aspirin
Clopidogrel (Plavix®)
Enoxaprin (Lovenox®)
Warfarin (Coumadin®)

• •	prevent blood clots from forming some help the heart beat more slowly andregularly

Beta Blockers:

Atenolol (Tenormin®)
Carvedilol (Coreg®)
Metoprolol (Lopressor®, Toprol XL®)

• •	lower blood pressure decrease the heart's workload

Calcium Channel Blockers:

Amlodipine (Norvasc®)
Diltiazem (Dilacor®, Cardizem®)
Felodipine (Plendil®)
Nifedipine (Adalat®, Procardia®)
Verapamil (Isoptin®, Calan®)

• •	make the heart pump more effectively slows and regulates heartbeat

Digitalis:

Digoxin (Lanoxin®)

•	lower blood pressure

Diuretics:

Bumetinide (Bumex®)
Furosemide (Lasix®)
Hydrocholorothiazide, HCTZ (Oretic®)

•	help the body get rid of extra fluid

Lipid-lowering Medication:

Atorvastatin (Lipitor®)
Ezetimibe (Zetia®)
Fenofibrate (TriCor®)
Gemfibrozil (Lopid®)
Pravastatin (Pravachol®)
Rosuvastatin (Crestor®)
Simvastatin (Zocor®)

•	lower fat (cholesterol and triglyceride) levels in the blood

Nitrates and Nitrites:

Imdur®
Nitrobid®
Nitrodur®
Nitrostat®

• •	relax and widen blood vessels to prevent and relieve angina replaces potassium that is lost when you take diurectics

Potassium

K-Dur®
Klor-Con®
K'lor®
Micro-K®

•

relax and widen blood vessels to prevent and relieve angina

replaces potassium that is lost when you take diurectics