Calcium channel blockers

Calcium channel blockers, used in the treatment of several heart-related disorders, have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of headaches. However, they have been studied for vascular headaches and have been shown to be effective in preventing migraine as well as cluster headaches. They are widely used for headache treatment and work by unknown mechanisms. Some calcium channel blockers prescribed for headaches are verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan), nimodopine (Nimotop), and diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor).

Choose another disease or condition... Allergic Rhinitis Allergies, Food Allergy & Asthma Center Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety Aortic Aneurysms Arrhythmia Arthritis, Osteo- (OA) Arthritis, Rheumatoid (RA) Asthma Atopic Dermatitis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Back Pain Brain Tumor Bones, Joints & Muscles Center Breast Cancer Brain & Behavior Center Brain Tumor Cancer Center    Brain Tumor    Breast Cancer    Cancer Prevention    Clinical Trials    Colorectal Cancer    Endometrial Cancer    Living With and Beyond Cancer    Lung Cancer    Prostate Cancer    Skin Cancer Cardiomyopathy Cataracts Cholesterol Control Clinical Trials Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Colorectal Cancer Congenital Heart Disease Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Center Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Digestive Disorders Center Eczema Endometrial Cancer Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Eye & Vision Center Fibromyalgia Food Allergies Gallstone Disease Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD Glaucoma Hay Fever Headache Heart Center Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C High Blood Pressure Hypertension Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Impotence Insomnia Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Living With and Beyond Cancer Losing Weight Lung Cancer Macular Degeneration Memory Loss Osteoarthritis (OA) Osteoporosis Parkinson's Disease Peptic Ulcer Prediabetes Prostate Cancer Respiratory Disorders Center Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Sexual & Reproductive Health Center Sinusitis Skin Cancer Sleep Apnea Sleep Center Stroke Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Weight Control America's Best Hospitals for Neurology and Neurosurgery More from the Brain & Behavior Center Headache-Related Clinical Trials Information Email this page Print this section

A calcium channel blocker may take two to four weeks to be effective. Be sure to continue taking it as instructed by your doctor, even after symptoms disappear. Do not stop taking a calcium channel blocker without first talking to your doctor, as you could make your condition worse. Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice, which may interfere with absorption.

Side effects may include nausea, dizziness, constipation, difficulty urinating, and fatigue. Call your doctor immediately if any of your side effects change in intensity or if you experience any other symptoms that you think could be caused by this medicine.