What is verapamil
Verapamil is a prescription medication that is used to treat high blood pressure, certain irregular heart rhythms, angina, and sometimes is prescribed to prevent migraine.
High blood pressure is a serious but common condition that - if left untreated - can lead to serious problems such as strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems. Talk to your doctor about whether verapamil may be right for your needs.
What are the most common side effects of verapamil?
While adverse reactions to verapamil are uncommon, some patients who take the drug may experience mild side effects, including constipation, heartburn, dizziness, and headache.
Rare, more serious adverse events have also been known to occur. If you are concerned that verapamil may be causing you to experience any number of adverse reactions, talk to your doctor or clinician.
This is not a complete list of side effects. If you are concerned about additional side effects, please contact your provider directly.
Verapamil is a prescription medication that is used to treat high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a serious but common condition that - if left untreated - can lead to serious problems such as strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems.
This medication is also used to treat a variety of heart problems such as angina and a fast or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). It helps to lower the heart rate so that you can be more comfortable and more able to exercise.
Verapamil is used to treat high blood pressure and to prevent chest pain (known as angina). It can decrease the frequency with which angina attacks occur and increase your ability to exercise. It is also used to treat irregular heartbeats, such as atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL). Verapamil may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Verapamil belongs to a class of drugs known as calcium channel blockers. Calcium channel blockers work by preventing calcium from entering the cells of your heart and arteries. Calcium causes the heart and arteries to contract more strongly. Blocking the uptake of calcium into these cells allows your blood vessels to relax so that blood can flow more easily. This lessens the workload of the heart, lowers blood pressure, and has the added benefit of slowing your heart rate, which can relieve chest pain (angina) and control irregular heartbeats.
If your doctor has prescribed verapamil, it is because they have deemed that the benefit to you is greater than the potential risk of side effects. However, adverse reactions do occasionally occur. Common side effects include constipation, heartburn, dizziness, and headache. Tell your doctor if any of these are severe or don’t go away.
Rare, but serious side effects include fainting, new or worsening symptoms of heart failure (such as swelling of the hands, feet, or ankles; shortness of breath; or unusual weight gain), very slow heartbeat, liver disease/damage (symptoms include excessive vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, dark urine, or yellowing of the skin/eyes), or allergic reactions (such as rash, itching, swelling of the face/tongue/throat, and difficulty breathing or swallowing). Get immediate medical attention if you experience any of these complications.
As with all prescription medication, inform your doctor of any medical conditions you are currently managing. Tell them about any and all medication, prescription drugs, and supplements you are taking before starting treatment with verapamil. This medication can interact with substances in the body, causing potentially serious adverse reactions. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
Specifically, you should tell your health care provider if you are dealing with digestive problems, heart conditions, or heart, liver, or kidney disease before starting treatment with verapamil.
This is not a complete list of side effects or precautions. For more information please visit the National Institutes of Health’s DailyMed webpage for Verapamil.
Verapamil will start working within 2-4 hours of taking the first dose. However, if you’re taking this medication to treat high blood pressure it could take a week or longer to experience the full benefit of verapamil.
You should continue to take this medication even if you feel well. Verapamil helps to control arrhythmias, high blood pressure, and angina but does not cure them. Talk to your doctor if you wish to discontinue using verapamil.
The starting dose of verapamil is individualized by titration (more simply, it is based on your medical condition and your response to the treatment). Follow the instructions on the packaging label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if there are any parts that you do not understand. Take Verapamil only as directed.
Verapamil is currently only available via prescription. This means the use of this drug must be authorized by a licensed health care provider.
Providers on Sesame can write a prescription – or refill an existing one – during a virtual or in-person visit. Depending on the medication, you can arrange for same-day pickup at a pharmacy near you. Book an online consultation with a real, licensed provider on Sesame today to determine whether or not verapamil is right for you.
Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your health ca
Yes! Talk to a provider on Sesame and get your online doctor prescription or refill ordered right away for fast and convenient pickup from a pharmacy of your choice.
Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your clinician.
