Exploring Medicine
Treatment Options
If you’re living with heart failure, you may need medicines to help keep your heart and body healthy.
If you’re in the hospital, medicine is often given through an IV (intravenous therapy).
If you are at home, or ready to leave the hospital, your medicines will be taken by mouth.
If you’re living with heart failure, you may need medicines to help keep your heart and body healthy. If you’re in the hospital, medicine is often given through an IV (intravenous therapy). If you are at home, or ready to leave the hospital, your medicines will be taken by mouth.
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Types
Antihypertensive
Overview
Overview
If you have heart failure you might need medicines to control your blood pressure. It is important to keep your blood pressure in a normal range because high blood pressure prevents your heart from pumping blood to the body as well as it should. High blood pressure can increase your risk of stroke or heart attack.
Beta Blocker
Beta blockers lower your blood pressure by slowing down how fast your heart beats. They are used to help your heart heal or remodel.
Carvedilol (Coreg) and metoprolol (Lopressor) are two beta blockers that your doctor might prescribe to keep your blood pressure in goal range.
Common side effects:
- Dizziness
- Tiredness, decreased energy
- Insomnia
- Slow heartbeat
- Cold hands and feet
- Dry mouth, skin, or eyes
- Headache
- Upset stomach
ACE Inhibitors and ARBs
Angiotensin is a chemical your body produces that makes your arteries narrow.
ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) help keep your blood vessels open wide so blood can pump to the rest of your body easily. Common ACE inhibitors include enalapril, captopril, or lisinopril. Common ARBs include losartan and sacubatril/losartan (Entresto®).
Common side effects:
- Dry cough (ACE inhibitor)
- Dizziness
- Headache
Beta Blocker
Beta blockers lower your blood pressure by slowing down how fast your heart beats. They are used to help your heart heal or remodel.
Carvedilol (Coreg) and metoprolol (Lopressor) are two beta blockers that your doctor might prescribe to keep your blood pressure in goal range.
Common side effects:
- Dizziness
- Tiredness, decreased energy
- Insomnia
- Slow heartbeat
- Cold hands and feet
- Dry mouth, skin, or eyes
- Headache
- Upset stomach
ACE Inhibitors and ARBs
Angiotensin is a chemical your body produces that makes your arteries narrow.
ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) help keep your blood vessels open wide so blood can pump to the rest of your body easily. Common ACE inhibitors include enalapril, captopril, or lisinopril. Common ARBs include losartan and sacubatril/losartan (Entresto®).
Common side effects:
- Dry cough (ACE inhibitor)
- Dizziness
- Headache
