Verapamil

Generic name: verapamil (oral/injection) [ ver-AP-a-mil ]
Brand names: Calan, Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, ... show all 8 brands Isoptin I.V., Covera-HS, Verelan PM
Drug classes:Calcium channel blocking agents, Group IV antiarrhythmics

Medically reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD. Last updated on Dec 29, 2021.

What is verapamil?

Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker. It works by relaxing the muscles of your heart and blood vessels.

Verapamil is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), angina (chest pain), and certain heart rhythm disorders.

Verapamil injection is used to rapidly or temporarily restore normal heartbeats in people with certain heart rhythm disorders.

Warnings

You should not use verapamil if you have a serious heart condition such as "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker), severe heart failure, Wolff-Parkinson-White, Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome, or slow heartbeats that have caused you to faint.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use verapamil if you are allergic to it, or if you have a serious heart condition such as:

• "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker);

• very low blood pressure; or

• if your heart cannot pump blood properly.

You may not be able to use verapamil if you have:

• severe congestive heart failure;

• certain heart rhythm disorders (such as "Afib," Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome);

• a heart conditio