If you’re at risk of heart disease or want to prevent future heart problems, heart disease medications are prescribed. There are many different types of medications used to treat different heart issues. But some of them may cause some side effects. Learn what types of medications are used to treat heart disease in this article. Get a consultation with the best cardiologists in Brooklyn.
Type of medications for heart disease treatment
Different types of medication are used to treat different heart diseases. Most common ones are:
- ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors:
ACE inhibitors are used to manage blood pressure and help your heart to pump more easily. Doctors prescribe this medicine for high blood pressure, heart failure, and those at risk of developing coronary artery disease. It is also given after a heart attack to prevent complications. ACE inhibitors include:
- Captopril
- Enalapril
- Fosinopril
- Lisinopril
- Perindopril
- Quinapril
- Ramipril
- Trandolapril
- Angiotensin-2 receptor blockers (ARBs):
These medications are prescribed when you are diagnosed with heart failure, high blood pressure, and chronic kidney disease, which can widen your blood vessels so blood flows easily throughout the body, making it easier for your heart to pump blood. It also lowers blood pressure, excess salt, and fluids. It includes:
- Azilsartan
- Candesartan
- Telmisartan
- Losartan
- Valsartan
- Eprosartan
- Irbesartan
- Olmesartan
- Beta blockers:
Beta-blockers or also known as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are used to lower the production of harmful substances in your body that cause heart failure. These medications make your heart beat slower, and with less force. It also lowers your blood pressure, lowers the risk of heart attack, and prevents stress hormones from making your heart failure worse, and keeps the heart rhythm normal.
Doctors prescribe these medications to treat some types of heart attacks, high blood pressure, chest pain caused by lowered blood supply to the heart muscle, and some arrhythmias. It is also recommended to prevent future heart attacks in people who have had a heart attack. Beta-blockers include:
- Acebutolol
- Bisoprolol
- Atenolol
- Carvedilol
- Bisoprolol
- Metoprolol succinate
- Nadolol
- Nebivolol
- Propranolol
- Sotalol
- Calcium channel blockers:
These medications are used to treat chest pain caused by lessened blood supply to the heart muscle, high blood pressure, and abnormal heart rhythms. It relaxes blood vessels and increases blood and oxygen to your heart, which eases its workload. It is recommended when other blood pressure medications don’t work. The include:
- Amlodipine
- Diltiazem
- Felodipine
- Nifedipine
- Nimodipine
- Nisoldipine
- Verapamil
- Diuretics:
These medications are also known as water pills. It helps to get rid of excess fluids and sodium through urination from your tissues and bloodstream. This lowers the heart’s workload, allowing it to pump. This buildup of fluid also occurs in the lungs and other parts of the body, such as the ankles and legs. Doctors prescribe it to lower blood pressure and reduce swelling in the belly, feet, and legs caused by excess fluid buildup in the body. Different diuretics work at different rates to remove excess fluids from your body. They include:
- Bumetanide
- Chlorothiazide
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Indapamide
- Furosemide
- Metolazone
- Acetazolamide
- Amiloride
- Chlorothiazide
- Chlorthalidone
- Furosemide
- Hydro-chlorothiazide
- Indapamide
- Metolazone
- Spironolactone
- Torsemide
- Cholesterol-lowering medications:
These medications are used to lower blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol causes inflammation and builds up in the artery walls, which makes it difficult for blood to pass and raises the risk of heart attack or stroke. Your genes and lifestyle may increase your blood levels of cholesterol. Statins are the best first course of action recommended by the doctor. In case statins don’t work or a person has serious side effects from statin therapy, other drugs may be used. These medications work in the body in different ways, and some may affect the liver, intestines, and some may interrupt the formation of cholesterol from circulating in the blood. They include:
- Statins: Atorvastatin, Fluvastatin, Lovastatin, Pitavastatin, Pravastatin, Rosuvastatin, Simvastatin.
- Nicotinic acids: Niacin
- Cholesterol absorption inhibitor: Ezetimibe
- Combination statin and cholesterol absorption inhibitors: Simvastatin
- Bile acid sequestrants: Cholestyramine, Colesevelam, Colestipol
- PCSK9 inhibitors: Alirocumab, Evolocumab
- Vasodilators:
These medications are prescribed to relax your blood vessels so blood can flow more easily through your body. This lowers the heart’s workload and decreases blood pressure. A common type of vasodilator called nitrates increases the blood and oxygen supply to the heart while lowering its workload. Doctors prescribe this medicine to lower chest pain, and treat heart attacks, high blood pressure, especially during pregnancy. The common vasodilators are:
- Isosorbide dinitrate
- Isosorbide mononitrate
- Hydralazine
- Nitroglycerin
- Minoxidil
Heart disease medications are the most common way to treat most heart problems. Some of them are also prescribed to lower the risk of heart disease in the future. Make sure you consult with your doctor about heart disease medicine and follow their instructions diligently to keep your heart working optimally.
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