Heart Disease Medicine: An Important Part of Your Treatment Plan
Heart Disease Medicine: An Important Part of Your Treatment Plan
Your doctor may prescribe vasodilators if you haven't been able to tolerate ACE inhibitors. Vasodilator heart disease medicine has two effects:
Vasodilators relax the muscles in the blood vessel walls. The vessels widen and blood flows through more easily. Your blood pressure lowers. Your heart receives more blood and oxygen, so it doesn't have to work so hard to pump.
Examples of vasodilators include:
Which medications may be best for you? That depends on factors such as these:
It may take some trial-and-error testing to find the combination of heart disease medicine that works best for you. Many people need more than one type of drug in order to get the best results. Some of these medications are combined into one pill.
Heart Disease Medicine: How Can It Help You?
In this article
- Anticoagulants
- Antiplatelet Agents
- Alpha-Blockers
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
- Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
- Beta-Blockers
- Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs)
- Angiotensin Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitors (ARNIs)
- Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
- Combined Alpha- and Beta-Blockers
- Digitalis Drugs
- Diuretics
- Selective sinus node inhibitors
- Nervous System Inhibitors
- Vasodilators
- Finding the Right Combination of Heart Disease Medication
Vasodilators
Your doctor may prescribe vasodilators if you haven't been able to tolerate ACE inhibitors. Vasodilator heart disease medicine has two effects:
- Lowers blood pressure
- Eases chest pain (angina)
Vasodilators relax the muscles in the blood vessel walls. The vessels widen and blood flows through more easily. Your blood pressure lowers. Your heart receives more blood and oxygen, so it doesn't have to work so hard to pump.
Examples of vasodilators include:
- Hydralazine
- Isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil)
- Isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur)
- Minoxidil
- Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitro-bid, Nitrolingual, Minitran, Nitro-dur)
Finding the Right Combination of Heart Disease Medication
Which medications may be best for you? That depends on factors such as these:
- The causes of your heart disease
- How your body responds to different drugs
- Any other health problems you might have
It may take some trial-and-error testing to find the combination of heart disease medicine that works best for you. Many people need more than one type of drug in order to get the best results. Some of these medications are combined into one pill.