Question Title: Difficulty in restatrting the heart after by-pass surgery.

What effect does VERAPAMIL (VERELAN) have when restarting the heart
after by-pass surgery? As a colcium antagonist, is restarting the heart
inhibited or rendered more difficult?

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Dear Newt,
I have alittle more information for you after speaking with our cardiovascular
surgery team, which includes a cardiac anesthesiologist. Verapamil does
have known depressive effects on the heart muscle (medically termed-negative ionotropy),
it can also result in a slowed heart rate (medically termed-negative chronotropy.)
If there is a problem with low heart rate the heart can simply be paced with a
temporary pacing wire. According to our anesthesiologist, verapamial and
other calcium channel blocker drugs are generally not a problem when restarting
the heart.

Information provided in the heart forum is intended for general medical informatioal
purposes only, actual diagnosis and treatment can only be made by your physician(s).

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