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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Benicar and Verap
        
(Message started by: Tom K on Sep 19^th, 2004, 4:44pm)

Title: Benicar and Verap
Post by Tom K on Sep 19^th, 2004, 4:44pm

My regular doc has me on 20mg of Benicar, the neuro has me on 180mg of Verap. I'm doing the BP monitor twice a day, and everything is cool. Does anyone know if Benicar helps/hinders CH? I've looked everywhere but can't find anything.

T

Title: Re: Benicar and Verap
Post by Tom on Sep 19^th, 2004, 5:28pm

Benicar = olmesartan = Angiotensin receptor ll antagonist = pure antihypertensive drug = useless for CH.

If you want to fight CH a n d high blood pressure: Hike up verapamil and forget olmesartan, 180 mg/day of verapamil do usually ±nothing against CH.

Thomas

Title: Re: Benicar and Verap
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 19^th, 2004, 7:00pm

Are you taking Benicar for clusters or for something cardiovascular-wise like high blood pressure? Verapamil and Benicar work totally differently. Verapamil hasn't been the best drug of choice for high blood pressure, but works more or cardiac arrhythmias. They don't even use it all that much in cardiology anymore. However, Benicar is a newer drug, and like Tom said it is an Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker. Verapamil is a Calcium Channel Blocker.

If you were put on Benicar for anything cardiac related, then you wouldn't want to quit taking it. If you were put on it for CH, then I doubt it will help it one way or the other, and I'd agree with Tom and ask for an increase in the verapamil! My mom takes benicar, and I take verapamil. However the Verap for me helps high blood pressure, tachycardia, and clusters.

Good luck!
Lizzie :)

Title: Re: Benicar and Verap
Post by Tom K on Sep 19^th, 2004, 7:59pm

I was put on the Benicar for HBP. That's all. I started my Verap ramp the other day and wanted to see if they worked together or not. Nobody in the offices of both docs today so I couldn't ask the ?'s that popped up during my last hit.

T