Drug NameIsoptin (Verapamil) Drug UsesIsoptin is used for treating high blood pressure. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor. How to useUse Isoptin as directed by your doctor.
- Isoptin may be taken by mouth with or without food.
- Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you use Isoptin.
- Swallow Isoptin whole. Do not crush or chew before swallowing.
- Continue to take Isoptin even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses. Taking Isoptin at the same time each day will help you to remember to take it.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Isoptin. Drug Class and MechanismIsoptin is a calcium channel blocker. It works by relaxing (dilating) your blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Missed DoseIf you miss a dose of Coumadin, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once. Storage Store Isoptin between 59 and 77 degrees F (15 and 25 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Isoptin out of the reach of children and away from pets. Possible Side EffectsCheck with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome:
- constipation; dizziness; fatigue; general feeling of being unwell; headache; lightheadedness; nausea.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these severe side effects occur:
- severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); chest pain; dark urine; fever; lightheadedness, especially upon standing; severe dizziness; shortness of breath; swelling of feet or hands; unusually fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; yellowing of the eyes or skin.
More InformationIsoptin is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.
If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor. Warnings/PrecautionsDo not use Isoptin if:
- you are allergic to any ingredient in Isoptin;
- you have certain heart problems (eg, left-ventricular dysfunction, sick sinus syndrome, second- or third-degree heart block and do not have a pacemaker), very low blood pressure, or moderate to severe congestive heart failure;
- you have atrial fibrillation or flutter and a pre-excitation syndromes (extra conduction pathway in the heart), such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) or Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome (LGL);
- you have shock due to serious heart problems;
- you are taking dofetilide, eletriptan, erythromycin, or disopyramide.
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Important :
- Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
- Tell your doctor or dentist that you take Isoptin before you receive any medical or dental care, emergency care, or surgery.
- Lab tests, including liver function, kidney function, complete blood cell count, and blood pressure, may be performed while you use Isoptin. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
- Use Isoptin with caution in the elderly; they may be more sensitive to its effects.
- Isoptin should not be used in children younger than 18 years old; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using while you are pregnant. Isoptin is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Isoptin.
What is verapamil?
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 is the most important information I should know about verapamil?
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 discuss with my healthcare provider before taking verapamil?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to verapamil, or if you have:
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certain serious heart conditions, especially "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker);
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low blood pressure; or
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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?
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?
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.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Overdose symptoms may include slow heartbeat and fainting.
What should I avoid while taking verapamil?
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.
Verapamil side effects
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:
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fast or slow heartbeats;
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feeling like you might pass out;
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fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;
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feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
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swelling, rapid weight gain; or
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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:
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constipation, nausea;
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skin rash or itching;
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dizziness, headache, tired feeling; or
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warmth, itching, redness, or tingly feeling under your skin.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.
What other drugs will affect verapamil?
Before taking verapamil, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
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any other blood pressure medications;
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buspirone (BuSpar);
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carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol);
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cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB);
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cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);
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digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);
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lithium (Eskalith, LithoBid);
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lovastatin (Mevacor);
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phenobarbital (Solfoton);
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rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater);
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theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24, Uniphyl);
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a sedative such as midazolam (Versed) or triazolam (Halcion);
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an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), telithromycin (Ketek), or voriconazole (Vfend);
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a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta, Ziac), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others;
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a heart rhythm medication such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), disopyramide (Norpace), flecainide (Tambocor), or quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex, Quin-Release); or
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HIV/AIDS medicine such as amprenavir (Agenerase), 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.
Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about verapamil.
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