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Heart Disease: Medications

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You are a Part of Your Health Team | Taking Your Medication
List of Medications

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You are a Part of Your Health Team

Drug therapy can help you avoid heart attack and stroke. Your doctor will prescribe drugs to help prevent complications and slow the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Remember that you are the most important member of your health care team. The medications won't do any good if you don't follow the prescribed schedule and doses. You should also understand why you are taking the medication in the first place. It's important that you understand the desired effects and all the possible side effects.

You have to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all other medication, vitamins and herbal or dietary supplements you are currently taking. Tell your doctor about any allergies or if you have had difficulty taking a particular type of medication before.

Keep a detailed list of your medications, including supplements and vitamins, with your medication schedule. Give a copy of this list, along with contact information for your doctors and pharmacists, to a close friend or family member.

Alert your doctor about any other medical conditions you might have or if you are, or might be, pregnant.

Taking Your Medication

If you are taking multiple medications to help control your heart condition, your doctor will put you on a strict schedule. It may seem overwhelming having to remember which medications, when and the dosage.

Tips for remembering your medication schedule

• If possible, take your medications along with meals or at the same time as other daily events, like brushing your teeth.
• Special pill boxes can help you keep track, like the ones divided into sections and labeled for each day or each time of the day.
• Ask family and friends to remind you to take your medications.
• Keep a calendar near your medicine or use a dry-erase board to keep track of your medications throughout the day.
• Put a sticker or some other type of reminder note on your medicine cabinet or refrigerator.

Quick Tips for Medication Use

• Understand your medication.
• Make an instruction sheet that you or a friend or family member can use. Tape a sample of each pill you take on a sheet of paper and writing down all the information about each pill, including dosage, schedule and the doctor's information.
• Ask your pharmacist for suggestions to help you simplify your routine, such as a color-coding system, timer caps for pill bottles or special pill containers.
• Let your doctor know if you feel your medication schedule is too complicated. They should work with you to ensure that your medications are manageable.
• If you're going to be away from home, make sure you carry enough of your medication to cover your time away. If you think you might run out, ask your doctor for a refill prescription.
• If you need help understanding what your physician or pharmacist is telling you, ask a friend or family member to go with you.
• If you don't think your medication is working or making a difference, talk to your doctor before changing the dose or frequency of a prescription.

Your doctor and pharmacist are your best sources of information about your medications. Don't hesitate to ask questions or to go to them with any concerns.

List of Medications

TriWest Healthcare Alliance does not endorse or recommend any particular medication or treatment program. Please refer to your doctor or health care provider for your treatment options and recommendations.

Anti-anginal Drugs

Angina pectoris is chest pain that occurs after exertion when the heart needs more oxygenated blood. Drugs prescribed to prevent the pain include:

• Bepridil (Vascor)
• Beta blockers
• Diltiazen (Cardizem)
• Nicardipine (Cardene)
• Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
• Nitrates

Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Abnormal heart rhythms (too fast or too slow) cause the heart to pump less effectively. Drugs used to treat the abnormal heart rhythm include:

Class I — Sodium channel blockers

• Disopyramide (Norpace)
• Flecainide (Tambocor)
• Lidocaine (Xylocaine)
• Mexiletine (Mexitel)
• Moricizine (Ethmozine)
• Procainamide (Procan, Procanabid, Pronestyl)
• Propafenone (Rythmol)
• Quinidine (Various)
• Tocainide (Tonocard)

Class II — Beta blockers

• Acebutolol (Sectral)
• Atenolol (Tenormin)
• Betaxolol (Kerlone)
• Bisoprolol (Zebeta)
• Carvedilol (Coreg)
• Esmolol
• Metoprolol (Toprol, Lopressor)
• Nadolol (Corgard)
• Propranolol (Inderal)
• Sotolol (Betapace)
• Timolol (Blocadren)

Class III — Potassium channel blockers

• Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)
• Azimilide (Stedicor)
• Bepridil
• Dofetilide (Tikosyn)
• Ibutalide (Corvert)
• Sotalol (Betapace)
• Tedisamil

Class IV — Calcium channel blockers

• Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac)
• Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin)

Miscellaneous

• Adenosine (Adenocard)
• Digoxin (Lanoxin)

Anticoagulant Drugs

Blood clots can stop the blood flow to the brain and result in a stroke. Anticoagulant drugs are prescribed to prevent new clots from forming to prevent stroke. They include:

• Dalteparin (Fragmin)
• Danaparoid (Orgaran)
• Enoxaparin (Lovenox)
• Heparin (various)
• Tinzaparin (Innohep)
• Warfarin (Coumadin)

Antiplatelet Agents

• Abciximab (ReoPro) inj
• Aspirin and dipyridamole (Aggrenox)
• Aspirin, enteric coated (Ecotrin, Halfprin)
• Cilostazol (Pletal)
• Clopidogrel (Plavix)
• Dipyridamole (Persantine)
• Eptifibatide (Integrelin) Inj
• Ticlodipine (Ticlid)
• Tirofiban (Aggrastat) inj

Blood Pressure-lowering Drugs

Blood pressure-lowering drugs can help control your blood pressure if diet and regular physical activity together have not been successful.

Diuretics lower your blood pressure by ridding the body of excess sodium and fluids through urination. These include:

• Amiloride (Midamor)
• Bumetanide (Bumex)
• Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
• Chlorthalidone (Hygroton)
• Furosemide (Lasix)
• Hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix, Hydrodiuril)
• Indapamide (Lozol)
• Spironolactone (Aldactone)

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors expand the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily and the heart to pump more efficiently. ACE inhibitors are prescribed to treat some symptoms of heart failure and to lower blood pressure. They include:

• Benazepril (Lotensin)
• Captopril (Capoten)
• Enalapril (Vasotec)
• Fosinopril (Monopril)
• Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)
• Moexipril (Univasc)
• Perindopril (Aceon)
• Quinapril (Accupril)
• Ramipril (Altace)
• Trandolapril (Mavik)

Angiotensin-2 receptor antagonists act similar to ACE inhibitors, but may be more easily tolerated because they produce less cough. Angiotensin II receptor blockers prevent angiotensin II chemicals from having any effect on the heart and blood vessels, keeping your blood pressure from rising. Common products include:

• Candesartan (Atacand)
• Eprosartan (Teveten)
• Irbesartan (Avapro)
• Losartan (Cozaar)
• Telmisartan (Micardis)
• Valsartan (Diovan)

Beta blockersdecrease the heart rate, lowering blood pressure. They can also be used as therapy for abnormal heart rhythms and for treating angina. These include:

• Acebutolol (Sectral)
• Atenolol (Tenormin)
• Betaxolol (Kerlone)
• Bisoprolol/hydrochlorothiazide (Ziac)
• Bisoprolol (Zebeta)
• Carteolol (Cartrol)
• Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)
• Nadolol (Corgard)
• Propranolol (Inderal)
• Sotalol (Betapace)
• Timolol (Blocadren)

Calcium channel blockers, also called "calcium antagonists," interrupt the movement of calcium into the heart and blood vessel cells. They are used to treat high blood pressure, chest pain and abnormal heart rhythms. They include:

• Amlodipine (Norvasc, Lotrel)
• Bepridil (Vascor)
• Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac)
• Felodipine (Plendil)
• Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
• Nimodipine (Nimotop)
• Nisoldipine (Sular)
• Verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan)

Some medications may be used in combination to more effectively treat one symptom or to treat multiple symptoms. You should not combine or change any medications without consulting your doctor. The American Heart Association has additional information on medications.