If you suffer from, or are at risk for heart disease, it’s essential to discuss medication side effects, drug interactions, and contraindications. If you are taking more than one medication, be sure to give your healthcare professional a full list of all the medications, supplements, herbs, and home remedies that you take, as well as any dietary habits that you follow. Drug interactions, contraindications, and restrictive diets may actually cause or worsen a heart condition.
The following is a list of commonly used medications to reduce heart disease risk:
Cholesterol medications. Statins reduce cholesterol levels by lowering inflammation. They may be prescribed as a preventative measure to reduce the chances of heart disease in high-risk patients. However, one major drawback in using statins is the depletion of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a crucial antioxidant for heart health. Statins should be the last line of defense after all attempts to correct diet and lifestyle have failed to lower cholesterol levels. Those who take statins should consider supplementing their diet with CoQ10 to counterbalance the deficiency caused by statins. Typical statins include: - Atorvastatin (Lipitor®)
- Fluvastatin (Lescol®)
- Lovastatin (Mevacor®)
- Pravastatin (Pravachol®)
- Rosuvastatin Calcium (Crestor®)
- Simvastatin (Zocor®)
Blood thinners. These help prevent blood clots.
- Warfarin (Coumadin®). If you are taking Coumadin, consult with your doctor before taking Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) or ginseng. These supplements may reduce the effectiveness of Coumadin. Also, gingko biloba supplements should not be taken with Coumadin.
- Heparin. An antiplatelet agent used as a blood thinner.
- Aspirin. Prolonged use of aspirin has been associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.
Note: Ask your healthcare professional before combining any prescription blood thinners with other medications, herbs, or nutritional supplements. Too much blood thinning can lead to excessive bleeding.
Blood pressure medications. These help manage high blood pressure. There are many different types of medication.
These include:
- Diuretics
- Beta-blockers
- ACE inhibitors
- Angiotensin antagonists
- Calcium channel blockers (CCBs)
- Alpha-blockers
- Alpha-beta-blockers
- Nervous system inhibitors
- Vasodilators
Note: Speak to your health professional about the risks of using COX-2 Selective (Bextra®, Celebrex®, and Vioxx®) and Non-Selective Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) and Naproxen (Aleve®), among others. These have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease, and some COX-2 Selective NSAIDs have been withdrawn from the market. Read more from the Food and Drug Administration.
Additional Information about Heart Disease
- Heart Disease Overview
- Common symptoms of heart disease
- Common causes of heart disease
- Natural and alternative treatments for heart disease
- Dietary and lifestyle recommendations that may help in the treatment of heart disease
- Cited Sources and Additional Reading for heart disease
