Cardiac Medications

• Medications for cardiac conditions have varied functions based on the medication type

Anticoagulants (Blood Thinners)

• Decrease the blood's ability to clot
• Blood thinners do not dissolve existing clots
• Used to manage conditions affecting blood vessels, heart, and lungs
• Prevent new blood clots from forming
• Prevent existing clots from enlarging to cause serious health issues
• Prescribed to prevent first-time or recurrent stroke or heart attack
• Examples include Apixaban (Eliquis), Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Edoxaban (Savaysa), Heparin (various), Rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and Warfarin (Coumadin)

Antiplatelet Agents

• Prevent blood platelets from sticking together to form clots
• Prevent clotting in individuals who have had a heart attack, unstable angina, ischemic strokes, transient ischemic attacks
• Useful preventatively against plaque buildup
• Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) involves aspirin combined with another antiplatelet drug
• Examples include Aspirin, Clopidogrel (Plavix), Dipyridamole (Persantine), Prasugrel (Effient), and Ticagrelor (Brilinta)

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

• Lower blood pressure by widening blood vessels, reducing heart workload
• Manage cardiovascular conditions, including high blood pressure and heart failure
• Provide health benefits to people who have had a heart attack
• Examples include Benazepril (Lotensin), Captopril (Capoten), Enalapril (Vasotec), Fosinopril (Monopril), Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), Moexipril (Univasc), Perindopril (Aceon), Quinapril (Accupril), Ramipril (Altace), and Trandolapril (Mavik)

Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)

• Prevent angiotensin II from affecting the heart and blood vessels, thus keeping blood pressure from rising
• Treat or improve symptoms of cardiovascular conditions like high blood pressure and heart failure
• Examples include Azilsartan (Edarbi), Candesartan (Atacand), Eprosartan (Teveten), Irbesartan (Avapro), Losartan (Cozaar), Olmesartan (Benicar), Telmisartan (Micardis), and Valsartan (Diovan)

Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitors (ARNIs)

• Improve artery opening and blood flow
• Reduce sodium retention
• Decrease strain on the heart
• Used for the treatment of heart failure
• Example: Sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto)

Beta Blockers

• Slow the heart rate and force of contraction, which lowers blood pressure
• Make the heart beat more slowly and with less force.
• Manage heart attacks, high blood pressure, chest pain (angina), and arrhythmias
• Used to prevent future heart attacks
• Examples include Acebutolol (Sectral), Atenolol (Tenormin), Betaxolol (Kerlone), Bisoprolol/hydrochlorothiazide (Ziac), Bisoprolol (Zebeta), Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), Nadolol (Corgard), Propranolol (Inderal), and Sotalol (Betapace)

Combined Alpha and Beta-Blockers

• Block both alpha and beta adrenergic receptors
• Lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels and decreasing heart rate
• Treat high blood pressure and heart failure
• Examples include Carvedilol (Coreg, Coreg CR) and Labetalol hydrochloride (Normodyne, Trandate)

Calcium Channel Blockers

• Interrupt the movement of calcium into the heart and blood vessels
• May decrease the heart's pumping strength and relax blood vessels.
• Treat high blood pressure, chest pain (angina), and arrhythmias
• Examples include Amlodipine (Norvasc), Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac), Felodipine (Plendil), Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), Nimodipine (Nimotop), Nisoldipine (Sular), and Verapamil (Calan, Verelan)

Cholesterol-Lowering Medications

• Lower blood cholesterol levels
• Drugs other than statins are for patients in whom statins are not effective or cause serious side effects
• Affect the liver or intestines, and interrupt the formation of cholesterol
• Used to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
• Examples include Atorvastatin (Lipitor), Fluvastatin (Lescol), Lovastatin (Mevacor), Pitavastatin (Livalo), Pravastatin (Pravachol), Rosuvastatin (Crestor), Simvastatin (Zocor), Niacin, Ezetimibe (Zetia); Ezetimibe/Simvastatin (Vytorin)

Digitalis Preparations

• Increase the force of the heart's beat and slows a fast heart rate
• Can be beneficial in treating heart failure and irregular heartbeats.
• Used to relieve heart failure symptoms when ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and diuretics aren't effective
• Slow certain types of irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias), particularly atrial fibrillation
• Example: Digoxin (Lanoxin)

Diuretics (Water Pills)

• Rid the body of excess fluids and sodium through urination
• Reduce the heart's workload
• Decrease fluid buildup in the lungs and other parts of the body
• Manage lower blood pressure and reduce swelling (edema)
• Examples include Acetazolamide (Diamox), Amiloride (Midamor), Bumetanide (Bumex), Chlorothiazide (Diuril), Chlorthalidone (Hygroton), Furosemide (Lasix), Hydro-chlorothiazide (Esidrix, Hydrodiuril), Indapamide (Lozol), Metalozone (Zaroxolyn), Spironolactone (Aldactone), and Torsemide (Demadex)

Vasodilators

• Widen (dilate) blood vessels to ease blood flow, reducing heart workload and blood pressure
• Nitrates increase blood and oxygen supply to the heart, easing chest pain (angina)
• Used to treat essential high blood pressure and high blood pressure caused by pregnancy
• Examples include Isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil), Isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur), Hydralazine (Apresoline), Nitroglycerin (Nitro Bid, Nitro Stat), and Minoxidil

An overview of anticoagulants (blood thinners) and antiplatelet agents, their functions, and common examples. These medications prevent blood clots, reducing risks associated with heart conditions and stroke. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is also discussed.