Verelan PM

Verelan PM is an extended-release medication that is prescribed for treating high blood pressure. The drug works by slowing down the rate at which calcium moves into your heart and blood vessel walls, helping to relax blood vessels and improve blood flow. Verelan PM comes in capsule form and is usually taken once a day at bedtime. Side effects may include sore throat, dizziness, and headaches.

Verelan PM Capsules

What Is Verelan PM?

Verelan PM^® (verapamil hydrochloride) is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). The capsules are specially designed to slowly release the medication over time, with a peak effect in the early morning hours when blood pressure is naturally higher.

(Click Verelan PM Uses for more information, including possible off-label uses.)

Who Makes Verelan PM?

Verelan PM is made by Elan Holdings, Inc., for Schwarz Pharma.

How Does This Medication Work?

Verelan PM is part of a class of drugs called

calcium channel blockers. The medicine helps to slow down the rate at which calcium moves into your heart and blood vessel walls. This, in turn, helps to relax the blood vessels, which improves blood flow and makes it easier for the heart to pump blood.

There are two basic types of calcium channel blockers: dihydropyridine and non-dihydropyridine. The most important difference between the two is that non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers can slow down the heart rate, while dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers do not.

Verelan PM is a non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, which means that it can decrease the heart rate. As a result, the drug is useful for treating certain types of irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias).

The capsules contain tiny beads that are designed to begin releasing the medication slowly four to five hours after they are taken. Because Verelan PM is taken at bedtime, the effects peak in the early morning hours, when blood pressure naturally rises.

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