How long does verapamil take to work

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication? Brand names Brand names of combination products Other names. Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of verapamil and gradually increase your dose. Other uses for this medicine. What special precautions should I follow? Before taking verapamil, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to verapamil, any other medications, or any ingredients in verapamil.

Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. Be sure to mention any of the following: alpha blockers such as prazosin Minipress ; antifungals such as itraconazole Onmel, Sporanox and ketoconazole Nizoral ; aspirin; beta blockers such as atenolol Tenormin, in Tenoretic , metoprolol Lopressor, Toprol XL, in Dutoprol , nadolol Corgard, in Corzide , propranolol Inderal, Innopran, in Inderide , and timolol Blocadren, in Timolide ; carbamazepine Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol ; cimetidine Tagamet ; clarithromycin Biaxin, in Prevpac ; cyclosporine Neoral, Sandimmune ; digoxin Lanoxin ; disopyramide Norpace ; diuretics ''water pills'' ; erythromycin E.

Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with verapamil, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. John's wort.

If you become pregnant while taking verapamil, call your doctor. Verapamil may cause the effects of alcohol to be more severe and longer-lasting. Verapamil may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: constipation heartburn dizziness or lightheadedness headache Some side effects can be serious.

Symptoms of overdose may include: dizziness blurred vision slow, fast, or irregular heartbeat seizures confusion difficulty breathing or swallowing. What other information should I know? Brand names. Brand names of combination products. Other names. This could result in toxic side effects. How to tell if the drug is working: You may experience dangerously low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, or slowed digestion. A prescription for this medication is refillable.

You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. To see how well this medication is working, your doctor will monitor your heart activity and blood pressure.

They may use an electrocardiogram ECG to monitor your heart activity. Your doctor may instruct you on how to monitor your heart rate and blood pressure at home with an appropriate monitoring device. Your doctor may also periodically test your liver function with a blood test. There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be more suitable for you than others. Talk to your doctor about possible alternatives. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date.

However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.

The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. Researchers say verapamil may help prevent the loss of beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. This could lead to earlier treatment for the…. Opana and Roxicodone are medications that can relieve pain. They work in similar ways, but have important differences.

Learn more. Several factors can affect blood pressure readings, including eating, not eating, and diet. Learn what can affect them and how to take an accurate…. Blood pressure can be different in each arm. While a slight difference can be fine, a greater difference may be a sign of a condition that needs…. It's known that Black Americans have higher rates of hypertension than other groups — but why?

Learn the causes and ways to treat and prevent this…. High blood pressure is often associated with few or no symptoms. Many people have it for years without knowing it. Lifestyle changes can significantly reduce high blood pressure and even lower your risk of hypertension in the future. Learn how garlic and dark…. Verapamil also may be helpful in Menieres disease, although this has not yet been documented by a controlled study. A close relative to verapamil, Nimodipine has been reported to be helpful for Meniere's disease Lassen et al, Neither of these medications are used commonly in Meniere's.

Meniere's disease is plagued by reports of treatments that are initially thought to be helpful, but later inseparable from placebo. This is due the extreme variability and relative infrequency Meniere's, making it easy to be fooled.

See this link for more. Meniere's and migraine are close relatives. It doesn't work the other way around however. This may be the reason why prevention treatment of Meniere's and migraine, including various diets and medications, overlap extensively.

Holland, Sometimes verapamil lowers blood pressure but this is generally not a big problem if it is started gradually. Stop taking this drug if you develop palpitations. A few individuals develop swelling of the ankles. Verapamil is safe in patients with asthma, and especially good in patients who also have high blood pressure.

Should start with dose mg. Verapamil has no cognitive side effects and no effect on weight. Verapamil can make some people feel dizzy. If this happens to you, do not drive a car, ride a bike, or use tools or machinery until you feel better.

You can boost the health of your heart by making some key lifestyle changes. These will also help if you have high blood pressure or angina. Quit smoking — smoking increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Quitting smoking brings down your blood pressure and relieves heart failure symptoms.

Try to avoid secondhand smoke. Cut down on alcohol — drinking too much alcohol raises blood pressure over time. It makes heart failure worse too. Try to keep to the recommended guidelines of no more than 14 units of alcohol a week.

A standard glass of wine ml is 2 units. A pint of lager or beer is usually 2 to 3 units of alcohol. Exercise — regular exercise lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition.

It does not need to be too energetic — walking every day will help. Eat well — try to include plenty of fruit and veg, wholegrains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products and lean proteins in your diet.

It's a good idea to cut down on salt too. Reduce your salt intake — eating too much salt is the biggest cause of high blood pressure. The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure will be. Aim for no more than 6g of salt a day.

Deal with stress — when you're anxious or upset, your heart beats faster, you breathe more heavily and your blood pressure often goes up. This can make heart failure worse too. Find ways to reduce stress in your life. To give your heart a rest, try napping or putting your feet up when possible. Vaccinations — if you have heart failure, it's recommended that you have a flu vaccine every year and a pneumococcal vaccine every 5 years.

Ask your doctor about these vaccinations. You can have them free on the NHS. Page last reviewed: 16 June Next review due: 16 June Verapamil - Brand names: Securon, Verapress, Vera-Til, Vertab On this page About verapamil Key facts Who can and cannot take verapamil How and when to take verapamil Side effects How to cope with side effects of verapamil Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions about verapamil.

About verapamil Verapamil is used to prevent chest pain caused by angina as well as irregular heart rhythms arrhythmias. If you have high blood pressure, taking verapamil helps to prevent: future heart disease heart attacks stroke A specialist can also prescribe verapamil for cluster headaches.

Verapamil is only available on prescription. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? Verapamil lowers your blood pressure and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body. Verapamil starts to work on the day you start taking it, but it may be 1 or 2 weeks before it reaches its full effect.

The most common side effect of verapamil is constipation. It can make side effects worse. It's important to keep taking verapamil. Stopping may cause your blood pressure to rise and this may increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke. To make sure verapamil is safe for you, tell your doctor if you: have ever had an allergic reaction to verapamil or any other medicine have liver problems have low blood pressure hypotension have any other heart problems, including heart failure, or a very slow or irregular heart rate have a heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome are trying to get pregnant, are already pregnant or breastfeeding.

Dosage The dose of verapamil depends on why you're taking it. Dosage for high blood pressure Standard tablets or liquid — you'll usually start on a dose of mg, taken twice a day. Liquid verapamil contains 40mg in each 5ml spoonful. Dosage for angina Standard tablets or liquid — the usual dose is 80mg or mg, taken 3 times a day, although some people may find that taking verapamil twice a day is enough to control their symptoms.

Dosage for irregular heart rhythm Standard tablets or liquid — the usual dose is between 40mg and mg, taken 3 times a day. Dosage after a heart attack Slow-release tablets — the usual dose is mg a day, split into 2 or 3 doses throughout the day.

Will my dose go up or down? How to take verapamil Swallow your tablets whole with a drink of water. You can take verapamil with or without food. What if I forget to take it? What if I take too much?

Urgent advice: Contact for advice if:. Side effects often get better as your body gets used to the medicine. Common side effects Common side effects happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away: constipation feeling or being sick nausea or vomiting flushing of the face and neck headaches feeling dizzy or tired swollen hands, ankles or feet Serious side effects Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 10, people.

Stop taking verapamil and tell your doctor straight away if: the whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow, although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin, or you have dark pee — these can be signs of liver problems Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to verapamil.

Information: You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme. Visit Yellow Card for further information. What to do about: constipation — eat more high-fibre foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables and cereals, and drink plenty of water. If you can, it may also help to increase your level of exercise. If this does not help, talk to your pharmacist or doctor about treatments for constipation.