Medication Education: Cardiac Medications PDF

**Medication Type** **Common Medications** **What do these medications do and why are they taken?** **Anticoagulants (Blood Thinners)** - Apixaban (Eliquis) - Dabigatran (Pradaxa) - Edoxaban (Savaysa) - Heparin (various) - Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) - Warfarin (Coumadin) Decreases t...

**Medication Type** **Common Medications** **What do these medications do and why are they taken?** **Anticoagulants (Blood Thinners)** - Apixaban (Eliquis) - Dabigatran (Pradaxa) - Edoxaban (Savaysa) - Heparin (various) - Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) - Warfarin (Coumadin) Decreases the clotting (coagulating) ability of the blood. Sometimes called blood thinners, although they do not actually thin the blood. They do not dissolve existing blood clots and are used to treat certain blood vessel, heart and lung conditions. - - Helps to prevent blood clots from forming in the blood vessels. - May prevent the clots from becoming larger and causing more serious problems. - Prescribed to prevent first or recurrent stroke or heart attack. **Antiplatelet agents** - Aspirin - Clopidogrel (Plavix) - Dipyridamole (Persantine) - Prasugrel (Effient) - Ticagrelor (Brilinta) Keeps blood clots from forming by preventing blood platelets from sticking together. - - Helps prevent clotting in people who have had a heart attack, unstable angina, ischemic strokes, TIA (transient ischemic attacks) and other forms of cardiovascular disease. - Can also be used preventively when plaque buildup is evident but there is not yet a major blockage in the artery. - Certain people will be prescribed aspirin combined with another antiplatelet drug -- also known as dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). **Angiotensin-converting enzyme** **(ACE) inhibitors** - Benazepril (Lotensin) - Captopril (Capoten) - Enalapril (Vasotec) - Fosinopril (Monopril) - Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) - Moexipril (Univasc) - Perindopril (Aceon) - Quinapril (Accupril) - Ramipril (Altace) - Trandolapril (Mavik) Lowers blood pressure by widening blood vessels. This reduces the workload of the heart. - Used to treat or improve symptoms of cardiovascular conditions including [high blood pressure](https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure) and [heart failure](https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/what-is-heart-failure). - They also provide health benefit to people who have had a heart attack. **Angiotensin II receptor blockers (or inhibitors) also known as (ARBs)** - Azilsartan (Edarbi) - Candesartan (Atacand) - Eprosartan (Teveten) - Irbesartan (Avapro) - Losartan (Cozaar) - Olmesartan (Benicar) - Telmisartan (Micardis) - Valsartan (Diovan) Angiotensin II receptor blockers prevent angiotensin II from having any effect on the heart and blood vessels. This keeps blood pressure from rising. - Used to treat or improve symptoms of cardiovascular conditions including high blood pressure and heart failure. +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Medication | **Common | **What do these | | | Type** | Medications** | medications do | | | | | and why are | | | | | they taken?** | | +=================+=================+=================+=================+ | **Angiotensin | Sacubitril/vals | | ARNIs improve | | receptor-nepril | artan | | artery opening | | ysin | (Entresto) | | and blood flow, | | inhibitors | | | reduce sodium | | (ARNIs)** | | | (salt) | | | | | retention, and | | | | | decrease strain | | | | | on the heart. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | | | For the | | | | | treatment of | | | | | heart failure | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Beta blockers | - Acebutolol | | Slows the heart | | (Also known as | (Sectral) | | rate and force | | Beta-adrenergic | | | of contraction, | | blocking | - Atenolol | | which lowers | | agents)** | (Tenormin) | | blood pressure | | | | | and makes the | | | - Betaxolol | | heart beat more | | | (Kerlone) | | slowly and with | | | | | less force. | | | - Bisoprolol/ | | | | | hydrochlorothia | | | | | zide | | | | | (Ziac) | | | | | | | | | | - Bisoprolol | | | | | (Zebeta) | | | | | | | | | | - Metoprolol | | | | | (Lopressor, | | | | | Toprol XL) | | | | | | | | | | - Nadolol | | | | | (Corgard) | | | | | | | | | | - Propranolol | | | | | (Inderal) | | | | | | | | | | - Sotalol | | | | | (Betapace) | | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | - | | - Used to | | | | | treat some | | | | | types of | | | | | heart | | | | | attacks, | | | | | high blood | | | | | pressure, | | | | | chest pain | | | | | (angina) | | | | | caused by | | | | | reduced | | | | | blood | | | | | supply to | | | | | the heart | | | | | muscle and | | | | | some | | | | | arrhythmias | | | | | (abnormal | | | | | heart | | | | | rhythms). | | | | | | | | | | - Used to | | | | | help | | | | | prevent | | | | | future | | | | | heart | | | | | attacks in | | | | | people who | | | | | have had a | | | | | heart | | | | | attack. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Combined | - Carvedilol | | are medications | | alpha and | (Coreg, | | that | | beta-blockers** | Coreg CR) | | simultaneously | | | | | block both | | | - Labetalol | | alpha and beta | | | hydrochlori | | adrenergic | | | de | | receptors, | | | (Normodyne, | | resulting in a | | | Trandate) | | potent effect | | | | | on lowering | | | | | blood pressure | | | | | by relaxing | | | | | blood vessels | | | | | and decreasing | | | | | heart rate | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | - | | Combined alpha | | | | | and | | | | | beta-blockers | | | | | are used to | | | | | treat high | | | | | blood pressure | | | | | and heart | | | | | failure. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Calcium | - Amlodipine | | Interrupts the | | channel | (Norvasc) | | movement of | | blockers (Also | | | calcium into | | known as | - Diltiazem | | the cells of | | calcium | (Cardizem, | | the heart and | | antagonists or | Tiazac) | | blood vessels. | | calcium | | | May decrease | | blockers)** | - Felodipine | | the heart\'s | | | (Plendil) | | pumping | | | | | strength and | | | - Nifedipine | | relax blood | | | (Adalat, | | vessels. | | | Procardia) | | | | | | | | | | - Nimodipine | | | | | (Nimotop) | | | | | | | | | | - Nisoldipine | | | | | (Sular) | | | | | | | | | | - Verapamil | | | | | (Calan, | | | | | Verelan) | | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | | | Used to treat | | | | | high blood | | | | | pressure, chest | | | | | pain (angina) | | | | | caused by | | | | | reduced blood | | | | | supply to the | | | | | heart muscle | | | | | and some | | | | | arrhythmias | | | | | (abnormal heart | | | | | rhythms). | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Medication | **Common | **What do these | | | Type** | Medications** | medications do | | | | | and why are | | | | | they taken?** | | +=================+=================+=================+=================+ | **Cholesterol-l | Statins: | | Various | | owering | | | medications can | | medications** | - Atorvastati | | lower blood | | | n | | cholesterol | | | (Lipitor), | | levels, but | | | | | drugs other | | | - Fluvastatin | | than statins | | | (Lescol), | | are usually | | | | | only used for | | | - Lovastatin | | patients in | | | (Mevacor), | | whom statins | | | | | are not | | | - Pitavastati | | effective or | | | n | | who have | | | (Livalo), | | serious side | | | | | effects from | | | - Pravastatin | | statin therapy. | | | (Pravachol) | | They work in | | | , | | the body in | | | | | different ways. | | | - Rosuvastati | | Some affect the | | | n | | liver, some | | | (Crestor), | | work in the | | | | | intestines and | | | - Simvastatin | | some interrupt | | | (Zocor) | | the formation | | | | | of cholesterol | | | Nicotinic | | from | | | acids: | | circulating in | | | | | the blood. | | | - Niacin | | | | | | | | | | Cholesterol | | | | | absorption | | | | | inhibitor: | | | | | | | | | | - Ezetimibe | | | | | (Zetia) | | | | | | | | | | Combination | | | | | statin and | | | | | cholesterol | | | | | absorption | | | | | inhibitors: | | | | | | | | | | - Ezetimibe/S | | | | | imvastatin | | | | | (Vytorin) | | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | | | Used to lower | | | | | LDL (\"bad\") | | | | | cholesterol. | | | | | | | | | | *\*Some | | | | | cholesterol-low | | | | | ering | | | | | medications may | | | | | interact with | | | | | grapefruit, | | | | | grapefruit | | | | | juice, | | | | | pomegranate and | | | | | pomegranate | | | | | juice.* | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Digitalis | - Digoxin | | Increases the | | preparations** | (Lanoxin) | | 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, | | | | | especially | | | | | when the | | | | | patient | | | | | isn\'t | | | | | responding | | | | | to other | | | | | standard | | | | | treatments | | | | | including | | | | | ACE | | | | | inhibitors, | | | | | ARBs and | | | | | diuretics. | | | | | | | | | | Also slows | | | | | certain types | | | | | of irregular | | | | | heartbeat | | | | | (arrhythmias), | | | | | particularly | | | | | atrial | | | | | fibrillation | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Medication | **Common | **What do these | | | Type** | Medications** | medications do | | | | | and why are | | | | | they taken?** | | +=================+=================+=================+=================+ | **Diuretics | - Acetazolami | | Causes the body | | (Also known as | de | | to rid itself | | water pills)** | (Diamox) | | of excess | | | | | fluids and | | | - Amiloride | | sodium through | | | (Midamor) | | urination. | | | | | Helps to reduce | | | - Bumetanide | | the heart\'s | | | (Bumex) | | workload. Also | | | | | decreases the | | | - Chlorothiaz | | buildup of | | | ide | | fluid in the | | | (Diuril) | | lungs and other | | | | | parts of the | | | - Chlorthalid | | body, such as | | | one | | the ankles and | | | (Hygroton) | | legs. Different | | | | | diuretics | | | - Furosemide | | remove fluid at | | | (Lasix) | | varied rates | | | | | and through | | | - Hydro-chlor | | different | | | othiazide | | methods. | | | (Esidrix, | | | | | Hydrodiuril | | | | | ) | | | | | | | | | | - Indapamide | | | | | (Lozol) | | | | | | | | | | - Metalozone | | | | | (Zaroxolyn) | | | | | | | | | | - Spironolact | | | | | one | | | | | (Aldactone) | | | | | | | | | | - Torsemide | | | | | (Demadex) | | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | - | | Used to help | | | | | lower blood | | | | | pressure and | | | | | help reduce | | | | | swelling | | | | | (edema) from | | | | | excess buildup | | | | | of fluid in the | | | | | body. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Vasodilators* | - Isosorbide | | Widens | | * | dinitrate | | (dilates) the | | | (Isordil) | | blood vessels | | | | | so the blood | | | - Isosorbide | | flows more | | | mononitrate | | easily and the | | | (Imdur) | | heart doesn't | | | | | have to work as | | | - Hydralazine | | hard and | | | (Apresoline | | decreases blood | | | ) | | pressure. | | | | | | | | - Nitroglycer | | A category of | | | in | | vasodilators | | | (Nitro Bid, | | called nitrates | | | Nitro Stat) | | increases the | | | | | supply of blood | | | - Minoxidil | | and oxygen to | | | | | the heart while | | | | | reducing its | | | | | workload which | | | | | can ease chest | | | | | pain (angina). | | | | | Nitroglycerin | | | | | is available as | | | | | a pill to be | | | | | swallowed or | | | | | absorbed under | | | | | the tongue | | | | | (sublingual), a | | | | | spray, and as a | | | | | topical | | | | | application | | | | | (cream). | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | - | | Used to ease | | | | | chest pain | | | | | (angina) | | | | | | | | | | Used to treat | | | | | essential high | | | | | blood pressure | | | | | | | | | | Treats high | | | | | blood pressure | | | | | caused by | | | | | pregnancy | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+