Verapamil Tablets 40mg, 80mg, 120mg and 160mg
Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to take your medicine.
It gives you important information about your medicine.
If you want to know more, or you are not sure about anything, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
Keep the leaflet until you have finished the medicine.
What's In Your Medicine
Verapamil Tablets are circular, yellow, film-coated tablets. Each tablet contains either 40mg, 80mg, 120mg or 160mg of Verapamil hydrochloride.
They also contain: cellulose, magnesium stearate, maize starch, propylene glycol, E104, E110, E171, E460, E463, E464, E553.
Verapamil Tablets are available in pack sizes of 28, 56, and 84.
Verapamil is one of a group of medicines called calcium channel blockers.
MA holder/Manufacturer:
About Your Medicine
The name of your medicine is Verapamil Tablets which is the generic (common) name. Your doctor may have given you this medicine before from another company and it may have looked slightly different.
Either brand will have the same effect.
Verapamil Tablets may be used for:
- hypertension (high blood pressure), used alone or with other drugs for high blood pressure.
- angina.
- certain types of abnormal heart beats.
Before Taking Your Medicine
Make sure you have told your doctor if you:
- are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breast feeding.
- are sensitive to any ingredients in the product.
- have ever had a heart attack or heart failure.
- suffer from a slow heart rate.
- have low blood pressure.
- have Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (rapid heart rate sometimes associated with dizziness or faintness).
- have liver disease.
- are taking other medicines such as beta blockers, carbamazepine, cimetidine, ciclosporin, digitalis, digoxin, lithium, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampicin, theophylline, other drugs for high blood pressure, and including any that you can buy without prescription.
Do NOT eat or drink products containing grapefruit juice whilst taking this medicine. You should avoid excessive amounts of alcohol whilst taking Verapamil.
Verapamil may make you feel drowsy. Make sure you are not affected before you drive or operate machinery.
If you see another doctor, dentist or go into hospital, especially if you need an operation, tell the staff you are taking verapamil.
Taking Your Medicine
Your doctor has decided the dose which is best for you. Always follow your doctor’s instructions exactly, and those on the pharmacy label. If you do not understand anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
The usual dosage(s) are described below:
Dosages are usually reduced in elderly patients with heart or liver problems
- Adults:
- High blood pressure: Initially 120mg twice daily increasing to 160mg twice daily. In some cases 480mg daily in divided doses.
- Angina: Usually 120mg three times daily, or 80mg three times daily with angina of effort.
- Abnormal heart beats: 40-120mg three times daily.
- Children:
- Up to 2 years: 20mg 2-3 times daily.
- 2 years and over: 40-120mg two or three times daily.
If you are elderly, especially with liver or kidney disease, you may be given a different dose. It is particularly important to take this medicine exactly as directed by the doctor.
These tablets should be taken as instructed swallowed with a glass of water. Continue to take them for as long as your doctor tells you to, it may be dangerous to stop without their advice.
If you forget to take a dose, take another as soon as you remember and then your next dose at the usual time. NEVER take two doses at the same time.
If you accidentally take more than your prescribed dose, contact your nearest hospital casualty department, or tell your doctor, immediately. Take any remaining tablets and the container with you.
After Taking Your Medicine
Like many medicines, Verapamil may occasionally cause side-effects in some patients, particularly when you first start taking it. These may include constipation, flushing, headache, nausea, vomiting, impairment of liver function or allergic reactions. Rarely, enlarged breasts in men, swollen gums and hair loss. You should consult your doctor if these are troublesome or continue or if you develop a skin rash, swelling, difficulty breathing or become jaundiced (yellow skin or eyes). If you get any other unusual effects, tell your doctor immediately and seek advice.
Storing Your Medicine
Do not use the tablets after the expiry date shown on the product packaging. Keep the tablets below 25°C in a dry place and in the original package. KEEP THEM IN A SECURE PLACE WHERE CHILDREN CANNOT GET AT OR SEE THEM. REMEMBER, this medicine is for YOU only. NEVER give it to anyone else. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours. Unless your doctor tells you to, do not keep medicines that you no longer need - give them back to your pharmacist for safe disposal.
Date of last revision: May 2007
50107324
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