Medications used in the treatment of heart conditions can be grouped according to the following categories.
Blood pressure medications
These drugs are used to treat high blood pressure, as well as heart failure. They help relax the blood vessels, which reduces how hard the heart has to work.
Blood pressure medications fall into the following categories: beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers (CCBs). Examples include:
- captopril (Capoten)
- propanolol (Inderal)
- enalapril (Vasotec)
- carvedilol
- nitroprusside
- hydralazine
Antiarrhythmics
These drugs are used to treat arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats. They help to prevent abnormal heart rhythms. Examples include:
- sotalol
- amiodarone
- digoxin (Lanoxin)
Anti-inflammatories
These drugs decrease inflammation or swelling. They also relieve pain, headaches, and fever. Examples include:
- acetylsalicylic acid (ASA or Aspirin)
- ibuprofen
- indomethacin
Diuretics
These drugs help to remove extra fluid (edema) that builds up in the body due to heart conditions. The use of these drugs causes frequent urination. Examples include:
Anticoagulants/antithrombotics
These drugs stop clots from forming in the blood. They are also known as blood thinners. Examples include:
- warfarin (Coumadin)
- heparin
- low molecular weight heparin, also called enoxaparin (Lovenox)
Minerals
These supplements help to replace important minerals that the body needs, and that may be lost through illness or the use of diuretics. Examples include:
Antibiotics
These drugs treat or prevent infections caused by bacteria. Examples include:
- cefazolin (Ancef)
- vancomycin
- ampicillin
- gentamicin
- amoxicillin
Cholesterol-lowering medications
These drugs help lower high cholesterol, typically LDL cholesterol. They do so by reducing the production of cholesterol in the body and by boosting the body's ability to remove cholesterol already in the blood.
The main categories are statins, bile acid resins, and niacin. Examples include:
- lovastatin
- simvastatin
- pravastatin
- atorvastatin
Pain relievers
These drugs aim to relieve pain. Examples include:
Sedatives
These drugs put patients in a relaxed or unconscious state for the purpose of a test or treatment. Examples include:
Prostaglandin E1
Prostaglandin E1 is used in newborns with congenital heart defects to keep the ductus arteriosus open.
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin prompts the body to make more red blood cells. It is used to treat anemia caused by a heart condition.
Resuscitation medications
In cases of emergency, the doctor will draw from a selection of drugs with immediate, short-term effects. These are not drugs that parents would see prescribed.