Managing Your Medicines

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If you have heart disease, medicine along with lifestyle changes may be part of your treatment plan to reduce the risk of future health problems. You may be taking many medicines. Certain medicines can greatly lower your risk of another cardiac event. That's why it's important for you to understand your medicines and take them correctly.

These medicines include:

  • Beta blockers: These drugs treat high blood pressure and some other heart conditions by reducing the heart rate and the workload of the heart.
  • Antithrombotics (Anti-platelet/anti-coagulant medicines): These medicines are used to prevent blood clots from forming in your arteries. Patients who have had cardiac procedures such as angioplasty and stenting to open up their arteries need these drugs to help keep the arteries open.
  • ACE inhibitors: This class of medicines treats high blood pressure and heart failure by interfering with the body's production of angiotensin, a chemical in the body that causes the arteries to constrict. Patients who can't take ACE inhibitors may be able to use angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).
  • Statins: Medicines that help the body process and remove LDL (bad) cholesterol. This not only lowers cholesterol, but protects the inner lining of the arteries.

Your doctor may recommend other medicines for you. Be sure to tell all of your health care professionals about all the medicines you're taking, including over-the-counter medicines, supplements and herbal preparations.

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Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors.

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Last Reviewed: Mar 31, 2018