background

Cardiology drugs

There are a variety of drugs prescribed for patients with heart disease. It’s important for both patients living with heart disease and those who care for them to understand the prescribed medication, to follow the directions of usage, and to be able to recognize the possible side effects associated with the medicine. The drugs most commonly prescribed for heart disease include:

ACE Inhibitors:

ACE inhibitors are a type of medication that dilates (widens) arteries to lower blood pressure and make it easier for the heart to pump blood. They also block some of the harmful actions of the endocrine system that may occur with heart failure.

Aldosterone Inhibitor:

Eplerenone (Inspra) and spironolactone (Aldoctone) and eplerenone are potassium-sparing diuretics. They can be prescribed to reduce the swelling and water build-up caused by heart failure. Diuretics cause the kidneys to send unneeded water and salt from the tissues and blood into the urine.