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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Interactions with Verapamil
        
(Message started by: pubgirl on Nov 18^th, 2004, 3:12am)

Title: Interactions with Verapamil
Post by pubgirl on Nov 18^th, 2004, 3:12am

This hasn't been posted for a while, so following the other thread about Verap thought I would post it again for new people using the drug in case they don't know (there's probably some more for this list that I've missed)

Do not take this medicine with grapefruit or grapefruit
juice.
Avoid excessive salt intake.
Herbal medicines or minerals:
Ginseng may increase blood pressure, blunting the benefits of this medicine. Hawthorn, saw palmetto, ma huang, goldenseal, yohimbe and licorice may also cause increased blood pressure. Garlic and calcium may work to lower blood pressure. The combination may work to require lower verapamil doses. St. John's wort may work to lower calcium channel blocker levels. This combination may also increase sun sensitivity. Eleuthero root should be avoided by people living with hypertension.
Caffeine levels will be increased if caffeine-containing beverages are consumed while you are on verapamil.
Alcohol:
Alcohol may exaggerate the drop in blood pressure and change the elimination of alcohol (experienced by some patients). This may lead to an exaggerated effect of alcohol.
Nicotine can reduce the effectiveness of this drug.
Marijuana smoking: Possible reduced effectiveness of this drug; mild to moderate increase in angina; possible changes in electrocardiogram, confusing interpretation.
Exposure to sun: This drug may cause photosensitivity
Exposure to heat: Hot environments can exaggerate the blood-pressure-lowering effects of this drug.
Heavy exercise or exertion: This drug may improve your ability to be more active without resulting angina pain. Use caution and avoid excessive exercise that could impair heart function in the absence of warning pain.
Vitamin D : Vitamin D may interfere with the effectiveness of verapamil. People taking verapamil should ask their doctor before using vitamin D-containing supplements.
Fluid and Fiber
Constipation is a common side effect of verapamil treatment. Increasing fluid and fiber intake can ease constipation.
Interactions with Herbs
Pleurisy root
As pleurisy root and other plants in the Aesclepius genus contain cardiac glycosides, it is best to avoid use of pleurisy root with heart medications such as calcium channel blockers

Also:
At the Annual meeting of the American Headache Society
researchers from the Universtity of Utah,presented findings based on more than 20 studies,on possible interaction between migraine and Cluster Headache meds and herbal products.
They concluded that the combinations of some herbal products and meds used for migraine/Cluster Headaches and other H/A disorders could render the meds ineffective or even toxic because they can interact with the liver enzymes that metobolize the meds.
They are as follows

Ginko Biloba
St Johns Wort
Ginseng
Echinacea
Large quantities of Garlic
Valerian Root

The meds studied:
Triptans: Imigran,Zomig.Maxall,Amerge,Frova,
Tricyclic: Amitriptyline,Pamelon,Tofranil and others.

Wendy
(thanks for the reminder Em!)

Title: Re: Interactions with Verapimil
Post by unsolved1 on Nov 18^th, 2004, 11:12am

Incase anyone wants to look this up .... it's spelled "VerapAmil"

Unsolved

Title: Re: Interactions with Verapamil
Post by pubgirl on Nov 18^th, 2004, 2:45pm

Sorry! Changed it

W