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Medications Used to Treat Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary arteries are the main blood vessels that carry nutrients, oxygen and blood to the heart. Fatty deposits called plaques can build up, causing the arteries to become damaged and diseased. Coronary artery disease can lead to a host of problems, including angina, shortness of breath and heart attack. Many people are unaware they have this condition until they have a heart attack. Several medications are available to address this disease and target several areas of heart health.

  1. Cholesterol Medications

    • Cholesterol-modifying medications help reduce the plaques that make their way into the coronary arteries by lowering the amount of cholesterol in the arteries. Statin drugs (Lipitor, Pravachol, Crestor and Zocor) help the body reabsorb cholesterol on the artery walls. Bile-acid-binding resins (Prevalite, Questran, Welchol and Colestid) reduce cholesterol by attaching it to bile acids excreted during digestive processes, leaving less of them in the body to reach the arteries.
      Fibrates and niacin (vitamin B3) treatments lower the amount of tryiglycerides(a form of fat) in the blood, which reduces cholesterol formation. Commonly prescribed fibrates are Lofibra, Tricor and Lopid. Prescription niacin (Niaspan) is the only appropriate treatment for this condition; do not use dietary supplements.

    Aspirin

    • Aspirin is a standard blood-thinning treatment that reduces the clotting tendency of your blood; this helps keep the arteries open. It can also help prevent heart attacks. Aspirin treatment is not appropriate for people who have bleeding disorders or are already using other blood-thinning medications. Talk to your doctor about this treatment before beginning aspirin therapy.

    Beta Blockers

    • Beta blockers lower blood pressure and slow your heart rate, which reduces the heart's need for oxygen. Beta blockers make future heart attacks less likely if you have already had one. Beta blocker medications include Sectral, Tenormin, Zebeta, Coreg, Lopressor, Toprol XL, Corgard, Bystolic and Inderal LA.

    Nitroglycerin

    • Nitroglycerin acts on chest pain by opening up the arteries and decreasing the heart's demand for blood. Nitroglycerin is available in a pill, patch and spray forms.

    Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

    • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors lower blood pressure and might keep your coronary artery disease from getting worse; they also lower the chance of having another heart attack. ACE inhibitors include Lotensin, Capoten, Vasotec, Monopril, Prinivil, Zestril, Univasc, Aceon, Accupril, Altace and Mavik.

    Calcium Channel Blockers

    • Calcium channel blockers increase blood flow to the heart by relaxing the muscles around your coronary arteries and making the vessels open. They also treat high blood pressure. Calcium channel blockers include Norvasc, Cardizem, Plendil, DynaCirc CR, Cardene, Procardia, Sular and Calan Verelan.

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