Medications

Taking medications as prescribed is a vital part of managing heart failure. Many patients will take more than one medication. It is important to know the names of your medications, how they work, how much to take, and when to take them. Take your medications at the same time every day. Never stop your medications without speaking to your physician. Do not take over-the-counter or herbal medications without first asking your doctor.

Health Tips from Dr. Healy: Video: What men need to know about their cholesterol 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 What is your heart risk? Use our calculator to find out. Online resources for congestive heart failure information Congestive Heart Failure-Related Clinical Trials Information Email this page Print this section

Heart failure medications are used to strengthen the heart's pumping ability, expand the blood vessels, decrease the workload on the heart, and decrease water and sodium in the body. Other medications may be used to treat arrhythmias, high blood pressure, and coexisting medical conditions.

Common heart failure medications include:

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
• Angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs)
• Beta blockers
• Potassium or magnesium
• Digoxin
• Diuretics
• Vasodilators/nitrates
• Aldosterone inhibitors
• Inotropic therapy
• Calcium channel blockers (for diastolic dysfunction only)