Medications

Ace Inhibitors: dilate (widen) blood vessels, lower blood pressure, reduce the heart’s workload, and allow the heart to pump blood more efficiently. Can help reduce the risk of heart attack in patients with coronary heart disease, especially when the heart is weakened and doesn’t pump well. Side effects may include dry tickling cough, dizziness, nausea, and skin rash.

Anti-anginal drugs: help relieve and /or prevent angina attacks. They do so by reducing the amount of oxygen the heart muscle needs, by increasing its oxygen supply, or by doing both. The three types of antianginal drugs are nitrates, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers.

Anti-arrhythmic drugs: are drugs used to control the heart’s rhythm. Surgery may make heart muscle irritable, causing the heart to beat abnormally. These drugs will help prevent and control these abnormal rhythms. Beta-Blockers and digoxin are used for this purpose.

Anti-platelet drugs: a medication that “thins’ the blood by blocking the activity of small cell fragments in the blood called platelets.

Aspirin: reduces the activity of the cells (platelets) that play and important role in the blood clotting process. It thins blood and makes it less likely to form clots in arteries. Can reduce the risk of a heart attack. For most people, one aspirin tablet (75 to 325 mg), once a day, is prescribed. May cause stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, and bleeding in the stomach or intestine.

Beta Blockers: help prevent a second heart attack and are effective for treating high blood pressure and arrhythmias. Often used for treating angina symptoms.

Calcium Channel Blockers: dilate blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and reduce the workload on the heart. They are also used to relax the walls of the coronary arteries and are therefore effective in treating and preventing coronary spasm (which is a temporary contraction of an artery’s walls. As the artery contracts it becomes narrowed, which reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. Angina symptoms caused by coronary spasm usually occur at rest, even during sleep). Common side effects of calcium channel blockers include headache, dizziness, constipation, swelling of the legs, low blood pressure, and slow heartbeat.

Nitrates: dilate blood vesels, lower blood pressure, and reduce the heart’s workload. They also improve the flow of blood to the heart muscle.

Nitroglycerin: a short-acting nitrate that works quickly and used to relieve an angina attack. Available as sublingual tablets, which are taken under the tongue or as a spray. The drug is absorbed into the bloodstream and begins to work within minutes. It is safe and not have it forming, which means that the drug can be taken repeatedly without becoming ineffective. Taking a sublingual tablet before planned activity can help revent angina.

Statins: are often prescribed for lowering cholesterol. Side effects may include stomach upset, gas, constipation, abdominal cramps, headaches, abnormal liver tests, and damage to muscles.

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