Download Taking Heart Medicines at Home: How They Will Help Your Heart

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Taking Heart Medicines at Home
How They Will Help Your Heart Rhythm and Prevent Clotting
☐ Amiodarone
This drug is used to treat an irregular heartbeat. It
slows the heart and makes it pump better.
Side effects include: Slow heartbeat, nausea (feeling
sick to your stomach), shakes, rash, easy sunburns
and changes in your lung, liver or thyroid function.
☐ Aspirin
Aspirin helps reduce the risk of blood clots and heart
attacks.
Side effects include: Bleeding.
☐ Beta-blockers
Your beta-blocker is ________________________.
It may be used to lower your heart rate, so the heart
does not have to work too hard. It is also used to
treat high blood pressure, chest pain, irregular
heartbeat and symptoms of heart failure.
• If you take a beta-blocker during and after a heart
attack, the risk of a future heart attack is lower.
• You may take it for a long time or for life.
Side effects include: Low blood pressure, slow
heartbeat, feeling dizzy or very tired (fatigued), cold
arms or legs, decreased sexual ability, wheezing,
shortness of breath and depression. If you have
diabetes, it may cover up feelings of low blood sugar.
For informational purposes only. Not to replace the advice of your health care provider.
Copyright © 2008 Fairview Health Services. All rights reserved. SMARTworks 521689 – REV 07/15.
☐ Calcium channel blockers
Your calcium channel blocker is _______________.
This drug makes your heart pump better. It is
used to treat high blood pressure, chest pain and
irregular heartbeat.
Side effects include: Low blood pressure, slow
heartbeat, feeling dizzy, warmth or redness of the
skin, swollen arms or legs, and constipation (hard,
dry stools that are difficult to pass).
☐ Clopidogrel (Plavix), prasugrel (Effient) or ticagrelor (Brilinta)
These drugs makes it harder for your blood to clot.
They may help prevent a heart attack or stroke. If
you have a stent in your blood vessel, it will help
keep clots from forming on the stent.
• Take it every day, along with aspirin.
• Make sure you always have enough, so you do not
run out.
• Do not stop taking this medicine without talking
to your heart doctor (cardiologist).
Even if a doctor tells you to stop this medicine,
you must talk to your heart doctor first.
Side effects include: Bleeding, bruising, rash and
nausea (feeling sick to your stomach).
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☐ Dabigitran (Pradaxa), rivaroxiban (Xarelto),
apixaban (Eliquis), edoxaban (Savaysa)
These drugs reduce the risk of blood clots. They
are used to prevent blood clots from forming
inside the heart, which can cause a stroke.
Side effects include: bleeding and bruising, upset
stomach.
☐ Digoxin
This drug treats heart failure and irregular heartbeat.
It will make your heart pump better.
Side effects include: Slow heartbeat, nausea (feeling
sick to your stomach), blurred vision and changes in
the way you see colors.
☐ Dofetilide (Tikosyn)
This drug treats fast or irregular heartbeat. It helps
keep the heart rhythm normal.
Side effects include: Headache, dizziness, diarrhea
(loose, watery stools) vomiting (throwing up), and
loss of desire to eat. Rarely, this drug will cause a
dangerous, fast heart rhythm, so often it is started in
a hospital. If you have diarrhea or vomiting for more
than 24 hours, call your heart doctor (cardiologist).
☐ Dronedarone (Multaq)
This drug treats fast or irregular heartbeat. It helps
keep the heart in normal rhythm.
Side effects include: Change in kidney function,
diarrhea (loose, watery stools), weakness, stomach
pain, nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), and,
rarely, liver problems.
☐ Flecainide
This drug treats fast or irregular heartbeat. It helps
keep the heart in normal rhythm.
Side effects include: Dizziness, fatigue, feeling off
balance, blurred vision, nausea (feeling sick to your
stomach), headache.
☐ Propafenone
This drug treats fast or irregular heartbeat. It helps
keep the heart in normal rhythm.
Side effects include: Dizziness, fast heartbeat, chest
pain, trouble breathing, taste changes, nausea
(feeling sick to your stomach), feeling tired,
constipation (hard, dry stools that are difficult to
pass), swelling in hands and feet.
☐ Sotalol
This drug treats fast or irregular heartbeat. It helps
keep the heart in normal rhythm.
Side effects include: Slow heartbeat, dizziness,
diarrhea (loose, watery stools), chest pain, nausea
(feeling sick to your stomach), shortness of breath,
fatigue. Rarely, this drug will cause a dangerous, fast
heart rhythm, so often it is started in a hospital.