What do you need to know about heart medication?
Why might you need heart medication
Heart medication can keep your symptoms under control, and even prevent or treat a heart condition. Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will advise you on the most appropriate medicine for your condition. If you are an adult CHD patient, you may be on more than one type of medication.
Different types of heart medication
The most common heart medications include:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors)
- Angiotensin-II antagonists (ARBs)
- Angiotensin-II receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi)
- Antiarrhythmic medicines
- Anticoagulant medicines (e.g. Warfarin)
- Antiplatelet medicines
- Beta-blockers
- Calcium channel blockers
- Cholesterol-lowering medicines (e.g. statins)
- Digoxin
- Diuretics
- Nitrates.
What to ask your doctor?
When given a new prescription, speak to your doctor about:
- Its potential benefits and risks
- How to take it safely and what to do if you miss a dose
- Whether it will cause side effects
- What to do if you notice any side affects
- Whether the medication might affect other medicine you are taking at the same time
- Whether it’s okay to continue taking other medicine (including any over-the-counter medicines or supplements).