If you have heart disease, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, then you are likely to be on one or more medications to control these. There are many types and combinations of medicines used.
These medicines help to prevent harmful clots from forming in the blood vessels and may prevent clots from becoming larger and causing more serious problems.
They are prescribed to people who are at risk of stroke, where blood clots form in the heart and travel to the brain (usually due to an irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation).
These medicines keep blood clots from forming by preventing blood platelets from sticking together.
They are prescribed to people who have had a heart attack, chest pain (angina), strokes, TIA (transient ischemic attacks, or "little strokes") and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
They are also used in people who have plaque buildup in their blood vessels but do not have a large obstruction in the artery, as yet.
These medicines expand blood vessels and allow blood to flow more easily which makes the heart's work easier or more efficient.
They are prescribed to people with high blood pressure and heart failure.
These medicines decrease the heart rate, which lowers blood pressure and makes the heart beat more slowly and with less force.
They are prescribed to people with high blood pressure, irregular heart beat (abnormal heart rhythms) and chest pain (angina).
It is also used to prevent future heart attacks in people who have had a heart attack.
Belongs to a group of medicines known as cardiac glycosides. These medicines increase the force of the heart's contractions, which can be beneficial in heart failure and for irregular heartbeats. Read more about digoxin.
These medicines cause the body to lose extra water and salts through urination. It helps to relieve the load on the heart. It also decreases the buildup of fluid in the lungs and other parts of the body, such as the ankles and legs. Different diuretics remove fluid at varied rates and through different methods. Read more about diuretics.