verapamil

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Specializes in nursing home, clinic, homehealth.

What exactly is verapamil prescribed for?

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it is an antiarrhythmic--we are currnetly studying this in pharm :crying2:

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Specializes in nursing home, clinic, homehealth.

but what do they give it for? high blood pressure or what?

it is an antiarrhythmic--we are currnetly studying this in pharm :crying2:
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Angina and Arrhythmia:

Verapamil is a calcium ion influx inhibitor (calcium entry blocker or calcium ion antagonist). The mechanism of the antianginal and antiarrhythmic effects of verapamil is believed to be related to its specific cellular action of selectively inhibiting transmembrane influx of calcium in cardiac muscle, coronary and systemic arteries and in cells of the intracardiac conduction system. Verapamil blocks the transmembrane influx of calcium through the slow channel (calcium ion antagonism) without affecting, to any significant degree the transmembrane influx of sodium through the fast channel. This results in a reduction of free calcium ions available within cells of the above tissues.

Chronic stable angina of effort. Angina resulting from coronary artery spasm. Obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, where surgery is not otherwise indicated. Atrial fibrillation or flutter with rapid ventricular response not otherwise controllable with digitalis preparations. Follow-up treatment to the use of injectable verapamil in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

Verapamil is indicated in the treatment of mild to moderate essential hypertension. Verapamil should normally be used in those patients in whom treatment with diuretics or beta-blockers has been associated with unacceptable adverse effects.

Verapamil can be tried as an initial agent in those patients in whom the use of diuretics and/or beta-blockers is contraindicated or in patients with medical conditions in which these drugs frequently cause serious adverse effects.

Combination of verapamil with a diuretic has been found to be compatible and showed additive antihypertensive effect.

http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-i03.html#Head_2

Why is this medication prescribed?

Verapamil is used to treat irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) and high blood pressure. It relaxes your blood vessels so your heart does not have to pump as hard. It also increases the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart to control chest pain (angina). If taken regularly, verapamil controls chest pain, but it does not stop chest pain once it starts. Your doctor may give you a different medication to take when you have chest pain.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a684030.html

There you go.

Google can be your friend also.

bob

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical.

You can give it for high BP and also cardiac arrythmias.

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Specializes in nursing home, clinic, homehealth.

okay, they gave it to me for high blood pressure but I got to reading about it and wondered if it was for something else. I have been a type 1 diabetic for 22 years and 2 years ago they gave me prinivil for circulation to my kidneys (not for high bp).I have never had high bp except when I was pregnant , I had toxemia.. Now 2 months ago I started feeling bad nautious and headaches and my blood pressure has been high so they gave me verapamil. They did blood work and my protein, HA1c, calcium, and hematocrit, and ALT(SGPT)were all not even 1 pt. high. So what is hematocrit and ALT? Thanks for all the replies.

You can give it for high BP and also cardiac arrythmias.
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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

I take 180mg of Verapamil for migraines. It has decreased the number I get per week and has improved by BP and HR.

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Just type verapamil.drugs.com

or for that matter anydrug.drugs.com

for information.

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Specializes in DNAP Student.

Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker. It has a high affinity in cardiac cells. It blocks plateau phase of the cardiac action potential which means it increases the repolarization time. With this in mind, it is used as an antiarrhythmic drug for tachy arrhythmias either SVT, A-fib, A-Flutter. By prologing the reporalization phase, the heart rate is slowed down.

Verapamil is also used as a blood pressure medicine because Calcium Inhibition causes arterial vasodilation as well as peripheral vasoldilation.

It is also used as an anti-anginal agent. The mechanism is low calcium concentration inside the cardiac cell decreases contraction and when contraction is decreased, less oxygen consumption which will eventually lower oxygen demand. Remember, angina is due to increase oxygen demand and oxygen consumption.

The reason why it is used for migraine head is due to its vasodilating effects in the arterioles.

Sometimes, understanding the mechanism of the drug is beneficial.

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Specializes in DNAP Student.
okay, they gave it to me for high blood pressure but I got to reading about it and wondered if it was for something else. I have been a type 1 diabetic for 22 years and 2 years ago they gave me prinivil for circulation to my kidneys (not for high bp).I have never had high bp except when I was pregnant , I had toxemia.. Now 2 months ago I started feeling bad nautious and headaches and my blood pressure has been high so they gave me verapamil. They did blood work and my protein, HA1c, calcium, and hematocrit, and ALT(SGPT)were all not even 1 pt. high. So what is hematocrit and ALT? Thanks for all the replies.

Prinivil was prescribed because it is an ACE inhibitors. It is kidney friendly. Your doctor will not prescribed any beta blockers because of your DM history. Verapamil is prescribed because it is cardiac specific.

Hematocrit is the plasma of the blood without the hemoglobin. Here's a tip: Hemoglobin is 1/3 of the hematocrit. So if your Hct is 21 more or less the Hemoglobin is 7.

ALT is a liver enzyme. Elevation means liver damage. Verapamil are metabolized in the liver. If liver is not working, Verapamil is not gonna reach its target site... in your case the arterioles to lower BP.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical.
okay, they gave it to me for high blood pressure but I got to reading about it and wondered if it was for something else. I have been a type 1 diabetic for 22 years and 2 years ago they gave me prinivil for circulation to my kidneys (not for high bp).I have never had high bp except when I was pregnant , I had toxemia.. Now 2 months ago I started feeling bad nautious and headaches and my blood pressure has been high so they gave me verapamil. They did blood work and my protein, HA1c, calcium, and hematocrit, and ALT(SGPT)were all not even 1 pt. high. So what is hematocrit and ALT? Thanks for all the replies.

As a diabetic with a high BP, verapamil is the right drug for you. Maybe there are others drugs but verapamil does not increase or influence the blood sugar level. You HPN is under control and your sugar level is not increased. :)

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical.
I take 180mg of Verapamil for migraines. It has decreased the number I get per week and has improved by BP and HR.

The use of verapamil in the treatment of migraine is uncommon. Propranolol is most widely used for prevention of migraine.

Verapamil is a vasodilator. The etiology of migraine is unknown but what causes the pain is the vasodilation of the small blood vessel in the cranium. If a vasodilator is used then it add more to the problem. There is a drug that is used for migraine. It is a combination of a pain reliever and a vasoconstrictor. It is known by the trade name Midrin ( paracetamol and isometheptene mucate). :)

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