Has your doctor prescribed you a medication called Verapamil for high blood pressure, chest pain, or an irregular heartbeat? If so, this article will be very important for you. Let's talk about this medication, how it works, what to be careful about while taking it, and everything else, in a very simple and friendly way.
What is Verapamil?
Simply put, Verapamil is a medication used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure and chest pain (angina). It is also sometimes used to treat fast or irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia).
Now let's see how this works inside the body. Think of our blood vessels as small tubes. When the muscles in the walls of these tubes tighten, the space through which blood flows becomes narrow. Then the heart has to work harder to pump the blood. This is what we call high blood pressure.
Verapamil belongs to a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers . This medicine works by controlling the entry of calcium into the muscle cells in the blood vessels and heart. When calcium levels are low, the tight muscles relax a little. The blood vessels then widen, allowing blood to flow through without any obstruction. This reduces the workload on the heart and helps control blood pressure. Chest pain (angina) occurs when the heart does not get enough oxygen. When the blood vessels widen, the heart receives more blood, which reduces the pain.
Doctors may also prescribe this medicine for other conditions, so if you have any questions, ask your doctor.
Things to tell your doctor before starting medication
Before you start using Verapamil, it is very important to tell your doctor about your medical history. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:
- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: This is a genetic disease that causes muscle weakness. If you have this condition, let your doctor know.
- Heart disease: If you have had a heart attack before or have been diagnosed with heart failure, you should tell your doctor about it.
- Irregular heartbeat or rhythm: If you have a very slow heartbeat (bradycardia) or other irregular patterns, inform your doctor before taking this medication.
- Liver disease: If your liver function is impaired, your doctor may need to adjust your dosage because it takes longer for the medication to leave your body.
- Low blood pressure: If you have low blood pressure, mention that as well.
- Allergies: Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any allergies to verapamil or any other medicine, food, dyes, or preservatives.
- Pregnancy or trying to get pregnant: If you are pregnant or expecting a baby soon, talk to your doctor about it.
- Breastfeeding: If you are a breastfeeding mother, seek medical advice as this medicine may pass to your baby through breast milk.
How exactly do I use this medicine?
Keep these points in mind when using this medicine.
1. Take your medicine exactly as your doctor tells you to: Take your medicine exactly as directed on the label, at the same time every day, and do not stop taking your medicine until your doctor tells you to.
2. With or without food: This pill can be taken before or after meals. However, if you experience stomach upset, it is best to take it with food.
3. Do not take with grapefruit juice: This is very important . Avoid drinking grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking verapamil. Grapefruit juice can increase the amount of the drug in your body unnecessarily, which can increase the risk of side effects.
4. For children: If you are giving this medicine to children, special care may be required. So follow the doctor's instructions.
What to do if you overdose?
If you think you have taken more medicine than you think, go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department (ETU) immediately . Or call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital for advice.
The most important thing is that this medicine is prescribed for you only. Never share your medicine with others.
What to do if you miss a dose?
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the scheduled time. Never take two doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.
Other things that may interact with Verapamil
Verapamil is a drug that can interact with other medications, foods, and herbal products. This means that taking it with other things can change how well Verapamil works or increase its side effects. So be very careful about the following things.
| Things you should never take with Verapamil | |
|---|---|
| Cisapride | A medicine for stomach inflammation |
| Disopyramide | A drug that causes irregular heartbeats |
| Dofetilide | A drug that causes irregular heartbeats |
| Grapefruit juice | This increases the concentration of the drug in the body. |
| Hawthorn | Herbal product |
| Pimozide | A drug for mental illness |
| Red yeast rice | A supplement to lower cholesterol |
| If you are taking these, inform your doctor. | |
|---|---|
| Barbiturates (e.g. phenobarbital) | Medications for sleep and epilepsy |
| Cimetidine | A medicine for gastritis |
| Cyclosporine | An immune-suppressing drug |
| Lithium | A drug for mental illness |
| Other medications for heart rhythm | Ex: amiodarone, digoxin, flecainide |
| Other medications for high blood pressure | Other pressure pills |
| Medications for epilepsy | Ex: carbamazepine, phenytoin |
| Medicines for tuberculosis | Ex: Rifampin, rifabutin |
| Asthma medications | Eg: Theophylline, aminophylline |
This list is not complete. So give your doctor a list of all the medicines you take (including vitamins and herbal products) . Also, be sure to tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use other drugs.
Things to be careful about while taking the medicine
- Regular medical check-ups: Visit your doctor at regular check-ups to check your condition.
- Measure your blood pressure: Measure your blood pressure at home, as your doctor recommends. Know what your normal blood pressure should be, and what to do if it goes up or down.
- Be careful when taking other medications: If you are taking over-the-counter cough, cold, or pain medications while you are taking Verapamil, ask your doctor first. Some medications can increase your blood pressure.
- Headache and dizziness: This medicine may make you feel a little drowsy and dizzy. Therefore, avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine affects you.
- Get up slowly: When you get up from a sitting or lying position, do not get up suddenly but slowly. This can help prevent dizziness and fainting.
- Alcohol: Drinking alcohol while taking this medication may increase side effects such as dizziness.
What side effects might I experience?
Like any medicine, Verapamil can cause some side effects. However, not everyone gets them. Let's take a look at what they are.
| Side effects that should be reported to the doctor immediately | |
|---|---|
| Allergic reactions | Skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. |
| Heart failure | Difficulty breathing, swelling of the ankles, feet or hands, sudden weight gain, extreme fatigue. |
| Slow heartbeat | Dizziness, fainting, difficulty breathing, extreme fatigue. |
| Liver injury | Pain in the upper right side of the stomach, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stools, dark yellow or brown urine, and yellowing of the skin or eyes. |
| Low blood pressure | Dizziness, fainting, blurred vision. |
| Side effects that are usually not serious, but should be reported to the doctor if they persist: | |
| Constipation | Dry stomach. |
| Dizziness | Feeling dizzy. |
| Headache | Headache. |
| Nausea | Feeling like vomiting. |
This list does not include all possible side effects. If you experience any unusual symptoms, please contact your doctor for advice.
How to store medicine?
- Keep away from children and pets.
- Store at room temperature (between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius) away from light.
- Throw away any medicine left after the expiration date.
Take-Home Message
- Verapamil is a medication used to treat high blood pressure, chest pain, and irregular heartbeats.
- Take your medicine every day, at the right time, as prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking the medicine suddenly.
- Tell your doctor about all other medications you are taking (including vitamins).
- Avoid drinking grapefruit juice completely while taking this medicine.
- Use caution when driving or operating machinery as dizziness and fainting may occur.
- If you experience any serious side effects such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the legs, extreme tiredness, or yellowing of the skin, seek medical advice immediately.
- If you have any questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor about it.
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