Many Common Medication Can Cause or Worsen Heart Failure
Many patients who have heart failure also have other medical conditions, for which they may take numerous prescription medications daily. However, many commonly used medications can cause or worsen heart failure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
The AHA’s list of more than 70 medications that may cause or worsen heart failure includes drugs used to treat cancer, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), migraines, depression, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as many common over-the-counter (OTC) medications and supplements.
Since many drugs can affect heart function, it is especially important for heart failure patients to exercise caution when taking other medications.
Many Effects are Possible
Drugs can cause heart failure, worsen it, or make it more difficult to treat by:
▶ Preventing the heart from beating as strongly as it should or relaxing between beats
▶ Decreasing the effectiveness of heart failure medications
▶ Being toxic to cells in the heart
▶ Slowing the heart rate
▶ Increasing blood pressure.
Drugs that can directly harm the heart include chemotherapy medications used to treat cancer and medications used to treat rheumatologic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, among others. (See chart for names of specific drugs.)
OTC drugs, including decongestants and weight-loss pills, can contain amphetamines and epinephrine—stimulants known to cause heart failure. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can trigger or worsen heart failure by causing sodium and fluid retention. And, some OTC medications contain significant amounts of sodium, which is usually restricted in patients with heart failure.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you have heart failure, employ these lifestyle strategies to improve and protect your health:
▶ Exercise at least five days a week.
▶ Limit intake of processed foods, salt, added sugar, and saturated fat.
▶ Get flu and pneumonia shots annually.
▶ Lose weight if you’re overweight.
Drug-Drug Interactions
A serious problem can occur when the combination of two drugs produces an undesirable result—a so-called “drug-drug interaction.” It’s a common problem in older patients, particularly those with more than one doctor.
Many Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure see several different healthcare providers annually. Monitoring a patient’s medications can be difficult when drugs are being prescribed by several healthcare providers. It is very important for patients to inform all of their doctors which medications they are taking and the names of the other doctors from whom they are receiving care.
Again, prescription drugs aren’t the only ones that warrant concern. Supplements that may interfere with the effectiveness of heart failure drugs include products that contain ephedra, St. John’s wort, ginseng, hawthorn, black cohosh, and green tea.
Use the same pharmacy for filling all prescriptions and purchasing OTC medications. If your pharmacy has a complete list of the drugs you take, the pharmacist can check for possible interactions if a new drug is prescribed. You can also consult your pharmacist about possible interactions before taking OTC drugs or supplements.
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