verapamil
(ver AH pa mill)
Calan, Calan SR, Covera-HS, Isoptin, Isoptin SR, Verelan, Verelan PM
What is the most important information I should know about verapamil?
• Do not stop taking this medication without first talking to your doctor verapamil. If you stop taking the medication, your condition could become worse verapamil.
• Do not crush, chew, or break extended-release forms of verapamil suchas generic Covera-HS and Verelan PM verapamil. Swallow them whole verapamil. Generic verapamil SR,Isoptin SR, and Calan SR may be divided in half but should not be crushed orchewed verapamil.
What is verapamil?
• Verapamil is in a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers verapamil. Verapamilrelaxes (widens) blood vessels (veins and arteries), which makes it easier forthe heart to pump and reduces its workload verapamil.
• Verapamil is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), to treatangina (chest pain), and to control some types of irregular heartbeats verapamil.
• Verapamil may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide verapamil.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking verapamil?
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have
· kidney or liver disease;
· other diseases of the heart or blood vessels such as sick sinus syndrome,aortic stenosis, heart failure, heart block, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome,coronary artery disease, or low blood pressure; or
· muscular dystrophy verapamil.
• You may not be able to take verapamil, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove verapamil.
• Verapamil is in the FDA pregnancy category C verapamil. This means that it is notknown whether verapamil will be harmful to an unborn baby verapamil. Do not take verapamilwithout first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnantduring treatment verapamil.
• Verapamil passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant verapamil. Do nottake verapamil without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby verapamil.
How should I take verapamil?
• Take verapamil exactly as directed by your doctor verapamil. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you verapamil.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water verapamil.
• Verelan, Verelan PM, Calan, Isoptin, Covera-HS, and generic forms ofregular-release verapamil can be taken with or without food verapamil. Taking the medicationwith food may reduce stomach upset if it occurs verapamil.
• Calan SR, Isoptin SR, and generic sustained-release verapamil (verapamilSR) may be more likely to cause stomach upset and should be taken with foodto reduce this side effect verapamil.
• Take Covera-HS and Verelan PM at bedtime verapamil.
• If you have trouble swallowing the Verelan pellet-filled capsules, theycan be opened and the contents can be sprinkled onto cold, soft food such asapplesauce verapamil. This mixture must be swallowed without chewing verapamil. Use the mixtureimmediately verapamil. Do not save it for later use verapamil. (Do not use this procedure for theVerelan PM capsules.)
• Do not crush, chew, or break extended-release forms of verapamil suchas Covera-HS and Verelan PM verapamil. Swallow them whole verapamil. Generic verapamil SR, IsoptinSR, and Calan SR may be divided in half if the tablets are scored, but shouldnot be crushed or chewed verapamil.
• If you are taking Covera-HS, do not be concerned if you find what lookslike an undissolved tablet in your stool verapamil. This medication is formulated withan outer shell that does not dissolve verapamil. This shell allows the medicine to bereleased slowly into your body before it is passed out in the stool verapamil.
• It is important to take verapamil regularly to get the most benefit verapamil.
• Do not stop taking this medication without first talking to your doctor verapamil. If you stop taking the medication, your condition could become worse verapamil.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with verapamil verapamil. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects verapamil. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor verapamil. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor verapamil.
• Your doctor may want you to have blood tests, blood pressure monitoring,or other medical evaluations during treatment with verapamil to monitor progressand side effects verapamil.
• Store verapamil at room temperature away from moisture and heat verapamil.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember verapamil. However, if it is almosttime for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularlyscheduled dose verapamil. Do not take a double dose of this medication verapamil.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention verapamil.
• Symptoms of a verapamil overdose include dizziness, weakness, chest pain,shortness of breath, fainting, an unusually fast or slow heartbeat, coma, slurredspeech, and confusion verapamil.
What should I avoid while taking verapamil?
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with verapamil verapamil. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects verapamil. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor verapamil. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor verapamil.
• Avoid the use alcohol verapamil. Alcohol may further lower blood pressure and increasedrowsiness and dizziness while taking verapamil verapamil.
• Follow any recommendations your doctor makes about diet or exercise verapamil.
What are the possible side effects of verapamil?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingverapamil and contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat;swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· an unusually fast or slow heartbeat;
· shortness of breath (heart failure);
· fainting;
· abnormal behavior or psychosis;
· jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
· swelling of the legs or ankles verapamil.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur verapamil. Continueto take verapamil and talk to your doctor if you experience
· unusual headache, fatigue, or tiredness;
· insomnia or trouble sleeping;
· vivid dreams;
· hair loss;
· nausea or diarrhea; or
· increased urination verapamil.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur verapamil. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome verapamil.
What other drugs will affect verapamil?
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are taking anyof the following drugs:
· cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
· cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB);
· carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol);
· lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith, others);
· theophylline (Theo-Dur, Theochron, Theolair, Theobid, Elixophyllin,Slo-Phyllin, others);
· rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane);
· phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
· an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin(Mevacor), simvastatin (Zocor), and others; or
· another heart medication such as propranolol (Inderal), metoprolol(Lopressor, Toprol XL), atenolol (Tenormin), digoxin (Lanoxin), quinidine (Quinora,Quinidex, Quinaglute), flecainide (Tambocor), disopyramide (Norpace), captopril(Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), and others verapamil.
• You may not be able to take verapamil, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring if you are taking any of the medicines listed above verapamil.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with verapamil oraffect your condition verapamil. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking anyprescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, andherbal products verapamil.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about verapamil written forhealth professionals that you may read verapamil.
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