Understanding Your Heart Disease Medication: Types, Names & Safety

What is the specific type of heart disease medicine I am taking?

What is the specific type of heart disease medicine I am taking?

You should always ask your doctor what type of medicine you are taking and what it is for. Also, ask what its generic and brand names are. That way, if there is an emergency, if you change doctors or pharmacies, or if you are seeing more than one doctor, you'll know enough to make sure that you can take your medicines safely.

Medicines that are commonly used to treat coronary heart disease, called CHD, and related conditions include the following classes:

• alpha-1 adrenergic blockers, called alpha blockers
• alpha-beta adrenergic blockers, called alpha-beta blockers
• angiotensin II receptor blockers, called ARBs
• angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, called ACE inhibitors
• antiarrhythmics
• anticoagulants
• antiplatelets
• beta-adrenergic blocking agents, called beta-blockers
• calcium channel blockers, called CCBs
• cardiac glycosides
• medicines to lower cholesterol
• diuretics
• nitrates
• vasodilators

Look for the brand or generic name for the medicine you take in the alphabetized list below. Or look for its class. See the specific article for that type to learn how it works, its potential side effects, and potential drug interactions. Nitrates brand generic Deponit nitroglycerin transdermal systems Minitran nitroglycerin transdermal systems Nitrodisc nitroglycerin transdermal systems Nitro-Dur* nitroglycerin transdermal systems Transderm-Nitro nitroglycerin transdermal systems Dilatrate-SR isosorbide dinitrate, long acting Isordil* isosorbide dinitrate, long acting Isordil Tembids-SR isosorbide dinitrate, long acting Sorbitrate isosorbide dinitrate, long acting Imdur* isosorbide mononitrate, oral Ismo* isosorbide mononitrate, oral Monoket isosorbide mononitrate, oral Isordil, sublingual isosorbide dinitrate, fast acting Sorbitrate, sublingual and chewable* isosorbide dinitrate, fast acting Nitro-Bid ointment nitroglycerin, topical Nitrolingual Spray nitroglycerin, fast acting Nitrostat nitroglycerin, fast acting Antiarrhythmic Agents brand generic Betapace sotalol Calan verapamil HCl Calan SR verapamil HCl Isoptin verapamil HCl Isoptin SR verapamil HCl Verelan PM verapamil HCl Cardioquin quinidine polygalacturonate Cordarone amiodarone HCl Pacerone amiodarone HCl Dilantin-125 phenytoin Dilantin Kapseals phenytoin Dilantin Infatab phenytoin Ethmozine moricizine HCl Mexitil mexiletine HCl Norpace disopyramide Norpace SR disopyramide Procanbid-SR procainamide HCl Pronestyl procainamide HCl Pronestyl-SR procainamide HCl Quinaglute Dura-Tabs quinidine gluconate Quinalan quinidine gluconate Quinidex-ET quinidine sulfate Quinora quinidine sulfate Rythmol propafenone HCl Tambocor flecainide acetate Tonocard tocainide HCl Anticoagulants brand generic Dicumarol dicumarol Fragmin dalteparin sodium Lovenox enoxaprin sodium Miradon anisindione Normiflo ardeparin sodium Orgaran danaparoid sodium Antiplatelets brand generic Aggrenox dipyridamole/aspirin combination Aspirin, various aspirin Persantine dipyridamole Plavix clopidogrel Ticlid ticlopidine HCl Cardiac Glycosides brand generic Lanoxicaps digoxin Lanoxin digoxin Bile Acid Resins brand generic Colestid colestipol HCl Locholest cholestyramine Locholest Light cholestyramine Prevalite cholestyramine Questran cholestyramine Questran Light cholestyramine Welchol colesevelam HCL Nicotinic Acid brand generic Niacor crystalline nicotinic acid Niaspan sustained-release nicotinic acid Nicotinic Acid sustained-release nicotinic acid Statins brand generic Lescol fluvastatin Na Lipitor atorvastatin Ca Mevacor lovastatin Pravachol pravastatin Na Zocor simvastatin Fibrates brand generic Atromid-S clofibrate Lopid gemfibrozil Tricor fenofibrate Diuretics brand generic Aldactazide spironolactone and hydrochlorothiazide Aldactone spironolactone Aquatensen methyclothiazide Bumex bumetanide Demadex torsemide Diucardin
Diurese trichlormethiazide Dyazide
Dyrenium triamterene Edecrin ethacrynic acid Enduron
Esidrix
Exna benzthiazide HydroDIURIL hydrochlorothiazide Hydromox quinethazone Hydro-Par
Hygroton
Lasix furosemide Lozol indapamide Maxzide hydroclorothiazide and triamterene Metahydrin
Microzide
Midamor amiloride HCl Moduretic amiloride HCl and hydrochlorothiazide Mykrox metolazone Naqua
Naturetin bendroflumethiazide Oretic
Renese polythiazide Saluron hydroflumethiazide Thalitone chlorthalidone Zaroxolyn
Calcium Channel Blockers brand generic Adalat CC nifedipine Calan SR verapamil HCl Cardene nicardipine HCl Cardene SR
Cardizem CD
Cardizem SR
Covera-HS
Dilacor XR diltiazem HCl DynaCirc isradipine DynaCirc CR
Isoptin SR
Nimotop nimodipine Norvasc amlodipine besylate Plendil felodipine Procardia XL nifedipine Sular nisoldipine Tiamate
Tiazac
Vascor bepridil HCl Verelan
Verelan PM
Beta-Blockers brand generic Betachron E-R propranolol HCl Blocadren timolol maleate Brevibloc esmolol HCl Cartrol carteolol HCl Corgard nadolol Inderal
Inderal LA
Kerlone betaxolol HCl Levatol penbutolol sulfate Lopressor metoprolol tartrate Sectral acebutolol HCI Tenormin atenolol Toprol-XL metoprolol succinate Visken pindolol Zebeta bisoprolol fumarate Beta-Blocker-Diuretic Combinations brand generic Corzide nadolol and bendroflumethiazide Inderide propranolol HCl and hydrochlorothiazide Inderide LA
Lopressor HCT metoprolol tartrate and hydrochlorothiazide Tenoretic atenolol and chlorthalidone Timolide timolol maleate and hydrochlorothiazide Ziac bisoprolol fumarate and hydrochlorothiazide ACE Inhibitors brand generic Accupril quinapril HCl Altace ramipril Capoten captopril Lotensin benazepril HCl Mavik trandolapril Monopril fosinopril sodium Prinivil lisinopril Univasc moexipril Vasotec enalapril maleate Zestril
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitor-Diuretic Combinations brand generic Capozide captopril and hydrochlorothiazide Lotensin HCT benazepril and hydrochlorothiazide Micardis HCT telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide Prinzide lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide Uniretic moexipril and hydrochlorothiazide Vaseretic enalapril maleate and hydrochlorothiazide Zestoretic
Calcium Channel Blocker-ACE Inhibitor Combinations brand generic Lexxel ER felodipine ER and enalapril maleate Lotrel amlodipine and benazepril HCl Tarka verapamil HCI and trandolapril Teczem ER enalapril maleate and diltiazem maleate as HCI Alpha-Blockers brand generic Cardura doxazocin mesylate Hytrin terazosin HCl Minipress prazosin HCl Alpha Blocker-Diuretic Combinations brand generic Minizide prazosin HCl and polythiazide Alpha-Beta Adrenergic Blockers brand generic Coreg carvedilol Normodyne labetalol HCl Trandate
Centrally Acting Antiadrenergic Agents brand generic Aldomet methyldopa Catapres (oral) clonidine HCl Catapres-TTS (transdermal, which means a patch)
Tenex guanfacine HCl Wytensin guanabenz acetate Centrally Acting Antiadrenergic Agent-Diuretic Combinations brand generic Aldoclor methyldopa and chlorothiazide Aldoril methyldopa and hydrochlorothiazide Combipres chlorthalidone and clonidine HCl Peripherally Acting Antiadrenergic Agents brand generic Hylorel guanadrel sulfate Ismelin guanethidine monosulfate Serpasil reserpine Peripherally Acting Antiadrenergic Agent-Diuretic Combinations brand generic Chloroserpine reserpine and chlorothiazide Demi-Rogroton reserpine and chlorthalidone Diutensin-R reserpine and methyclothiazide Enduronyl deserpidine and methyclothiazide Esimil guanethidine monosulfate and hydrochlorothiazide Hydrap-ES
Hydropres-50
Hydro-Serp
Hydroserpine #1
Hydroserpine #2
Marpres
Metatensin #2 reserpine and trichlormethazide Metatensin #4
Rauzide rauwolfia serpentina and bendroflumethiazide Renese-R reserpine and polythiazide Rogroton
Salutensin reserpine and hydroflumethiazide Salutensin-Demi reserpine and hydrochlorothiazide Ser-Ap-Es reserpine and hydrochlorothiazide and hydralazine HCl Tri-Hydroserpine
Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers brand generic Atacand candesartan cilexetil Avapro irbesartan Cozaar losartan potassium Diovan valsartan Micardis telmisartan Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker-Diuretic Combinations brand generic Atacand HCT candesartan cilexetil and hydrochlorothiazide Avalide irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide Diovan HCT valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide Hyzaar losartan potassium and hydrochlorothiazide Vasodilators brand generic Apresoline hydralazine HCI Loniten minoxidil Vasodilator-Diuretic Combinations brand generic Apresazide hydralazine HCI and hydrochlorothiazide

If you don't see your medicine listed here, ask your doctor what class or type of medicine it is. Then look up that class in the list.