Medications
Coronary Heart Disease
Current Medications
While each individual case of coronary heart disease is different, there are a number of medications and therapies that can be used during the treatment process.
• ACE inhibitors – are used to lower blood pressure and to help prevent further damage to the blood vessels. They work by inhibiting a certain enzyme in the body that creates Angiotensin II. This chemical causes the blood vessels to narrow, but when that happens, the rate of heart related disorders goes up, hence why you want to inhibit this from happening.
• Beta blockers ¬will help to lower the patient’s heart rate, their blood pressure, and how much oxygen is used by the heart. It also takes away the ‘fight or flight’ response in the body that’s caused by adrenaline. This response is good for survival, but not for a weakened heart.
• Blood thinners (antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs) – are used to reduce your risk of blood clots that can become stuck in the vessels where plaque has accumulated. Blood thinners act by working against the absorption of vitamin K in the body, which promotes normal clotting.
• Calcium channel blockers – are useful in relaxing the arteries, lowering the blood pressure and reducing the strain on the patient’s heart. By helping to reduce the force with which the heart pumps, this helps to lower the blood pressure reading in a patient.
• Diuretics – will help to lower blood pressure. By eliminating excess fluid in the body, diuretics reduce the effort it takes to pump blood.
• Nitrates (nitro glycerine) – are used to stop a patient’s chest pain and to improve the blood supply to the heart itself by causing the blood vessels to widen, thereby reducing the strain of the heart as well as reducing the chance that plaques can build up in the vessels.
• Statins – help to lower cholesterol and to prevent further plaque build up. By working against a natural enzyme in the body that allows for cholesterol levels to rise, patients can see effects in as little as one week of use.
Medications can have a strong effect on your body so it’s important that you learn as much as you can about them. You should know their name, what they are for, how often to take them, what time of day to take them, and common side effects that could occur.
It’s also important that you:
- Don’t take any medications that aren’t prescribed for you,
- Don’t stop taking them without discussing it with your doctor first
- If you miss a dose never take double the amount next time
- Check any ‘over the counter’ medications with your doctor first before taking them
Every medication has more than 1 name:
Chemical Name – which describes the chemicals that are in the medication
Generic Name – which is the ‘standard name’. This is usually the name you will find on the box of the medication.
Trade Name – which is also called the ‘brand name’. This is the name the company will give the medication.
In relation to heart disease, the main objective of medication is to either:
- Improve blood flow by relaxing vessels
- Thin the blood to prevent clots within the arteries
- Reducing heart rate and blood pressure so that there is less workload on the heart
- Reduce blood lipids
- Dilate coronary arteries
Cholesterol/Lipid lowering medications
Generic Name Brand Name
Simvastatin Lipex, Zocor
Pravastatin Pravachol
Atorvastatin Lipitor
Fluvastatin Vastin, Lescol
Rosuvastatin Crestor
Gemfibrozil Lopid, Jezil
Ezetimibe Ezetrol
Fenofibrate Lipidl
Side Effects: dyspepsia, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, constipation, fatigue, headache, muscle weakness
Antiplatelet drugs (anticoagulants)
Thin the blood and prevent blood clots
Generic Name Trade Name
Asprin Astrix, cardiprin, cartia, solprin,disprin
Clopidogrel Plavix, Iscover
Warfarin Coumadin
Side Effects: GI upset, bleeding
Nitrates
Dilate coronary arteries increasing blood and oxygen flow to the heart. Also reduces pain associated with narrowed coronary arteries.
Generic Name Trade Name
Glycerine trinitrate Anginine, GTN, Transiderm patch, Nitro-dur, Nitrolingual spray
Isosorbide mononitrate Imdur
Isosorbide dinitrate Isordil
Antiarrhythmic drugs
Used to regulate or stabilise the heart rate
Generic name Trade name
Amiodarone Cordarone, Aratac
Verapamil Isoptin
Flecainide Tambocor
Digoxin Lanoxin
Diuretics
Remove excess fluid from the body by increasing the body’s excretion of salt
Generic name Trade name
Frusemide Lasix, Urex, Uremide
Spirinolactone Aldactone, Spiactin
Hydrochlorthiazide Dithiazide
Indapamide Natrilix, Dapa-tab
Beta Blockers
Generic name Trade name
Atenolol Tenormin, Noten
Metoprolol Betaloc, Lopressor
Sotolol Sotacor
Carvedilol Dilatrend
Bisoprolol Bicor
Ace Inhibitors
Generic name Trade name
Captopril Capoten, Acenorm
Enalopril Renitec, Amprace
Ramipril Ramace, Tritace
Perindopril Coversyl
Quinapril Accupril, Asig
Lisinopril Zestril, Prinivil
A2 Inhibitors
Irbesartan Karvea, Avapro
Candesartan Atacand
Calcium Channel Blockers
Generic name Trade name
Nifedipine Adalat
Amlodipine Norvasc
Felodipine Plendil, Agon
Lercanidipine Zanidip
Verapamil Isoptin
Diltiazen Cardizem