VERAPAMIL (ORAL)

(ver AP a mil) Brand: Calan, Calan SR, Isoptin SR, Verelan, Verelan PM

What is the most significant information I must know about verapamil?

• You must not use verapamil if you have a serious heart condition such as "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker), severe heart failure, slow heartbeats that have caused you to faint, or determined heart rhythm disorders of the atrium (the upper chambers of the heart that let blood to flow into the heart).

What is verapamil?

• Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker. 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 determined heart rhythm disorders.

• Verapamil may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking verapamil?

• You must not use verapamil if you are allergic to it, or if you have a serious heart condition such as:

· "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker);

· severe heart failure;

· slow heartbeats that have caused you to faint; or

· determined heart rhythm disorders of the atrium (the upper chambers of the heart that let blood to flow into the heart).

• To create certain verapamil is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have:

· congestive heart failure;

· low blood pressure;

· kidney disease;

· liver malady; or

· a nerve-muscle mess such as myasthenia gravis or muscular dystrophy.

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether verapamil will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• Verapamil can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How must I take verapamil?

• Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended.

• Do not crush, chew, or interrupt an extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow it intact.

• If you have trouble swallowing an extended-release capsule intact, ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safety for you to open the capsule and sprinkle the medication into a spoonful of applesauce to create swallowing easier. Swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Discard the empty capsule.

• Your blood pressure will need to be checked often. Your kidney or liver function may also need to be checked.

• If you need surgery, speak the surgeon onward of time that you are using verapamil.

• You must not stop using verapamil suddenly. Stopping suddenly may create your condition worse.

• If you are being treated for tall blood pressure, keep using this medicine even if you feel well. Tall blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.

• Verapamil may be only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet, exercice, and another medications. Follow your doctor's instructions very closely.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of verapamil can be fatal.

What must I avoid while taking verapamil?

• Verapamil may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

• Avoid getting up too quick from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.

• Drinking alcohol can further lower your blood pressure and may magnify determined side effects of verapamil.

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with verapamil and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit commodity with your doctor.

What are the possible side effects of verapamil?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have:

· quick, slow, or irregular heartbeats;

· shortness of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling, rapid weight gain;

· a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

· anxiety, sweating, pale skin, wheezing, gasping for breath, cough with foamy mucus, chest pain;

· flu symptoms (fever, chills, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea); or

· feeling like you might pass out.

• General side effects may include:

· constipation;

· headache;

· dizziness; or

· stuffy nose, sinus pain, sore throat.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect verapamil?

• Much drugs can interact with verapamil. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Speak your doctor about all your medications and any you start or stop using during treatment with verapamil, especially:

· another blood pressure medicines;

· aspirin;

· bosentan;

· clonidine;

· digoxin, digitalis;

· imatinib;

· nefazodone;

· St. John's wort;

· an antibiotic--clarithromycin, erythromycin, telithromycin;

· antifungal medication--itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole;

· cholesterol lowering medicines called "statins"--atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pitavastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin;

· heart medication--nicardipine, quinidine;

· hepatitis C medications--boceprevir, telaprevir;

· HIV/AIDS medication--atazanavir, delavirdine, efavirenz, fosamprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, nevirapine, ritonavir, saquinavir;

· seizure medication--carbamazepine, fosphenytoin, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone; or

· tuberculosis medication--isoniazid, rifabutin, rifampin, rifapentine.

• This list is not complete and much another drugs can interact with verapamil. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about verapamil.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.