Re: Re: Ace Inhibitors

[Guest guest]

What is the difference between Ace inhibitors, and HBP medicine? My DR has me

on verapamil. Does anyone know about this medicine and what the side affects

are?

[Guest guest]

Hi Pierre, Thank you for sending me this information on verapamil. My DR. has

had me on this for two years. Most of the time my blood pressure is below

normal. And also I am having my hart race sometimes. Now I know why. Is their

something else I can suggest to my DR that I might be able to use? The reason

why he put me on this drug in the first place ,was to try to get rid of the

head aches I was having . Not because of blood pressure. Thank you so much

for this web site. You don't know how much I appreciate it.

[Guest guest]

Pierre, Thanks for the information. Do you also have information on the side

affects for the Cardizem CD, Tiazac? Or do you know of a safe way I can get

rid of headaches myself? Thanks again,

[Guest guest]

ACE inhibitors are just one class of many high blood pressure medicines that

are available. They are popular in nephrology because there is some evidence

that they may help delay renal failure and they reduce proteinuria, and

generally, they have more tolerable side effects than most. On the other

hand, they can have drawbacks for some people. One of them is the famous

" ACE inhibitor cough " , which can affect up to 30% of people who take them.

Another is that they can elevate potassium in some people, and can actually

worsen renal failure in a few (reversible after stopping it though - which

is why we have follow-up by our nephrologists). Another rarer problem is

angioedema - which is swelling of the lips, tongue and throat. So they

aren't necessarily for everyone.

Verapamil is another blood pressure medication, but of a totally different

class, called calcium channel blockers. It's also popular in nephrology

because it is usually effective for lowering high blood pressure, and it

also tends to lower proteinuria.

I took verapamil SR for about a year. The main side effects are

constipation, sometimes headache, nausea. Also, it makes the heart beat

slower - so, again, it may not be appropriate for everybody (no drug is,

really). Overall, it's a good drug though. You can get a more complete list

of side effects here:

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/verapsr_ad.htm

--Pierre

Re: Re: Ace Inhibitors

> What is the difference between Ace inhibitors, and HBP medicine? My DR has

me

> on verapamil. Does anyone know about this medicine and what the side

affects

> are?

>

[Guest guest]

Well, you're very welcome for the kind words, .

There are two calcium channel blocker BP drugs that are commonly prescribed

to help with migraines. One is verapamil, which you're already on. The

other, which you might discuss with your doctor, is diltiazem CD (brand name

Cardizem CD, Tiazac). It also tends to slow down the heart rate a bit.

Another class of BP meds used to treat migraines are the beta blockers.

Unfortunately, most other BP meds, including the ACE inhibitors, are more

likely to give you a headache than to relieve one. Even verapamil and

diltiazem can cause headaches. However, I've taken a few beta blockers in

the past, and I've never gotten a headache from a beta blocker. Nightmares

maybe, but no headaches : )

Pierre

Re: Re: Ace Inhibitors

> Hi Pierre, Thank you for sending me this information on verapamil. My DR.

has

> had me on this for two years. Most of the time my blood pressure is below

> normal. And also I am having my hart race sometimes. Now I know why. Is

their

> something else I can suggest to my DR that I might be able to use? The

reason

> why he put me on this drug in the first place ,was to try to get rid of

the

> head aches I was having . Not because of blood pressure. Thank you so much

> for this web site. You don't know how much I appreciate it.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

From the Cardizem web site itself:

Cardizem CD is generally well tolerated. In clinical studies with Cardizem

CD, the most common side effects, seen in less than 5.5% of patients, have

been headache, dizziness, slow heart rate, heartbeat irregularities, and

swelling of the ankles.

http://www.cardizem.com/

In my experience, both headaches and swelling of the ankles are more common

with diltiazem. If the choice is between verapamil and diltiazem, I'm not

sure it would be worth the trouble to change from one calcium channel

blocker to another. Also based on my own experience with doctors, they

usually aren't very agreeable about changing BP meds when BP is already

being controlled and there aren't any life threatening side effects. Good

luck : )

I don't know what else you can do about the headaches, especially since you

had them before the verapamil anyway. I'm guessing that ultimately, your

doctor might want to switch completely and try a small dose of beta blocker

like atenolol instead.

Pierre

P.S. If you do end up changing, diltiazem is available as a much cheaper

generic drug now, so you don't have to buy the Cardizem brand.

Re: Re: Ace Inhibitors

> Pierre, Thanks for the information. Do you also have information on the

side

> affects for the Cardizem CD, Tiazac? Or do you know of a safe way I can

get

> rid of headaches myself? Thanks again,

>

>