What is verapamil (oral)?
Verapamil is in a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by relaxing the
muscles of your heart and blood vessels.
Verapamil is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), angina (chest pain), and certain
heart rhythm disorders.
Verapamil may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking verapamil (oral)?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to verapamil, or if you have:
-
certain serious heart conditions, especially "sick sinus syndrome"
or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker);
-
low blood pressure; or
-
if you have recently had a heart attack.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special
tests to safely use this medication. Before you take verapamil, tell your doctor if you have:
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether verapamil is
harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to
become pregnant during treatment.
Verapamil can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this
medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take verapamil (oral)?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger
amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your
prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this
medication.
Do not crush, chew, break, or open a controlled-delivery or extended-release tablet or
capsule. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking
or opening the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
If you have trouble swallowing a verapamil capsule whole, ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is
safe for you to open the capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of applesauce to make
swallowing easier. Swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later
use. Discard the empty capsule.
It is important to use verapamil regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled
before you run out of medicine completely.
Do not stop taking this medication without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking
verapamil suddenly, your condition may become worse.
If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine.
High blood pressure often has no symptoms.
Verapamil may be only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet,
exercise, and other medications. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be tested
on a regular basis. Your kidney and liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any
scheduled visits to your doctor.
If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using
verapamil.
Store verapamil at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
What happens if I miss a dose of verapamil (oral)?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait
until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose.
Do not
take extra medicine
to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about verapamil (oral)?
Your pharmacist has information about verapamil (oral) written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of verapamil (oral)?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
-
fast or slow heartbeats;
-
feeling like you might pass out;
-
fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering,
peeling, and red skin rash;
-
feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
-
swelling, rapid weight gain; or
-
nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark
urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Less serious side effects may include:
-
constipation, nausea;
-
skin rash or itching;
-
dizziness, headache, tired feeling; or
-
warmth, itching, redness, or tingly feeling under your skin.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your
doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at
1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about verapamil (oral)?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to verapamil or if you have certain
serious heart conditions such as "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker),
low blood pressure, or if you have recently had a heart attack.
Before taking verapamil, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney
disease, liver disease, congestive heart failure, or a nerve-muscle disorder such as muscular dystrophy.
Verapamil can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if
you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Do not stop taking this medication without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking
verapamil suddenly, your condition may become worse.
Verapamil may be only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet,
exercise, and other medications. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely.
If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine.
High blood pressure often has no symptoms.
What should I avoid while taking verapamil (oral)?
Verapamil can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if
you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly
and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking verapamil.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with verapamil and lead to potentially dangerous
effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the
amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
What other drugs will affect verapamil (oral)?
Before taking verapamil, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
-
any other blood pressure medications;
-
buspirone (BuSpar);
-
carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol);
-
cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB);
-
cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);
-
digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);
-
lithium (Eskalith, LithoBid);
-
lovastatin (Mevacor);
-
phenobarbital (Solfoton);
-
rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater);
-
theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24, Uniphyl);
-
a sedative such as midazolam (Versed) or triazolam
(Halcion);
-
an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin
(E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), or telithromycin (Ketek);
-
an antifungal medication such as fluconazole (Diflucan),
itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or voriconazole (Vfend);
-
a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol
(Zebeta, Ziac), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol
(Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others;
-
a heart rhythm medication such as amiodarone
(Cordarone, Pacerone), disopyramide (Norpace), flecainide (Tambocor), or quinidine
(Quinaglute, Quinidex, Quin-Release); or
-
HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz),
delavirdine (Rescriptor), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), or
ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
verapamil. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This
includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using
a new medication without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of verapamil (oral)?
