Heart Disease

Statin drugs sold under brand names like Lipitor and Zocor are effective in lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart attack. But people who take the drugs run the risk of developing...

Antiarrhythmics are a class of medications used to treat certain heart problems. Heart beats are regulated by the flow of electricity. When something goes wrong with electrical conduction in the...

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) devices improve survival rates in people with serious heart arrhythmias or who are at risk for these disorders. ICDs are very safe and have few side...

Crystalline niacin is vitamin B3. Niacin is used as a treatment for some health issues, but its use does have some side effects. Talk to your doctor before you start taking crystalline niacin.

A pacemaker is an electronic device inserted into the chest or abdomen of patients who have serious cardiac problems, such as irregular heartbeat. The device is connected to the heart through...

Crataegus, more commonly called hawthorn, is a common shrub in many parts of the world. Extracts from the leaves and flowers are used medicinally for various uses, and people can buy hawthorn...

Metprolol Tartrate 50mg is in a class of drugs that are beta-blockers, which help control the heart rate and the blood flow circulation through the arteries and veins. Metprolol Tartrate is not...

If you have an arrhythmia, your doctor may prescribe a medication called sotalol, often misspelled sotolol. As with all medications, sotalol has side effects that come along with it. Always be...

Lipitor (atorvastatin) is a cholesterol-lowering medication known as a statin. It is prescribed to treat heart disease and prevent hardening of the arteries. As with all prescription medications,...

NitroQuick is a prescription medication classified as a nitrate. It makes the blood vessels wider, which, in turn, makes blood flow and heart pumping much easier. NitroQuick is commonly used for...

Statins are drugs prescribed for millions of patients to lower high cholesterol levels and to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Statins block the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver and...

HCTZ (Hydrochlorothiazide) is prescribed to treat hypertension and edema associated with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, kidney disorders and certain medications. Classified as a...

Caffeine is a natural component found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate and some food products, including nuts. Although many studies have been completed to test the effects of caffeine on...

Sotalol is a prescription medication. Classified as a beta blocker, it is used to treat irregular heart rhythms and fast heartbeats. It functions by changing the reactions towards the nerve...

The British Heart Foundation reports that approximately 96,000 residents in the United Kingdom suffer from angina, a condition caused by reduced blood flow to the rear that results in chest pain....

Milrinone is a prescription medication used to treat severe and possibly fatal heart failure. It is a temporary treatment option. Milrinone is a vasodilator and functions by allowing the blood...

According to the American Heart Association, over 4 million Americans suffer from arrhythmia or a heart rate that is either too fast or too slow. A number of medications are now available to help...

Metoprolol is a prescription medication available in tablet form for oral consumption. It is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and sold under the brand name Toprol XL....

Amiodarone is a medication available by prescription and used in the treatment of irregular heartbeat to help keep the heart beating regularly. Amiodarone is often prescribed for patients who have...

Amiodarone hydrochloride (HCL) is a medication prescribed to people with life-threatening heart rhythm disorders, including ventricular arrhtyhmias and atrial fibrillation. Available in generic...

Metoprolol is a medication available by prescription only for the treatment of high blood pressure, angina (chest pain) and heart failure. Produced by AstraZeneca under the brand name of Toprol,...

Toprol XL is a prescription medicine that is used for the treatment of medical conditions such as high blood pressure, angina and various heart diseases (including ischemic heart disease and...

Beta blockers are hypertension medications known formally as beta-adrenergic blocking agents. They work by interfering with the actions of norepinephrine and epinephrine and therefore lower the...

Metoprolol is the generic name for a prescription medication known as Toprol. Classified as a beta-blocker, Metoprolol is commonly prescribed for high blood pressure, angina (chest pain) and...

Simvastatin is a prescription medication used for the treatment of high cholesterol, which in turn helps lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The medicine is an enzyme blocker, and is also...

BiDil is the name of a prescription medicine used for the treatment of heart failure. It is comprised of two different drugs: isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine (which are vasodilators). The...

Amiodarone is a prescription antiarrhythmic medicine that manages heartbeats and their rhythms. The main function of amiodarone is to maintain regular heartbeats for people who have dangerous...

Plavix is a brand name for clopidogrel bisulfate, a medication prescribed to prevent blood clots and lower a patient's risk of heart attack or stroke. Plavix has potential side effects that may...

Heart valves can become leaky because of congenital defects, viruses or drug abuse. The leaking valve can lead to a variety of side effects. Valves that do not open or close properly can lead to...

Amlodipine, also know by the trade name Norvasc, is a medication used to treat various cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension and angina. In certain cases of coronary artery disease,...

Sotalol is a beta blocker medication prescribed to people with certain heart rhythm disorders. Brand names that include Betapace, Sorine and Sotacor, and sotalol help keep the heart beating...

Metoprolol Succinate is a prescription medication used to treat several heart conditions, including angina, high blood pressure and heart failure. It is classified as a beta blocker and works by...

Atenolol is beta blocker used to treat heart conditions such as angina and high blood pressure, and to regulate heartbeat. It can also be given to people who have just suffered a heart attack to...

Atenolol is a prescription medication used to treat several heart conditions, including high blood pressure, rapid heart rate and angina. It can also be given to someone who has suffered a heart...

As an effort to provide protection against a possible heart attack or stroke, physicians often prescribe statins, drugs, which, in most cases, effectively lower cholesterol. Although there are...

Plavix is a prescription medication that should be taken on a daily basis to help lessen the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. In general, individuals who have recently suffered either a...