Heart failure can be defined as the inability of the heart to pump blood effectively to the body. The left ventricle of the heart pushes blood out to the cells and tissues, while the right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs. Although either, or both, ventricles can fail, left sided heart failure is more common and generally more severe. Numerous medications are available to treat this common disorder.
ACE Inhibitors
This group of medications blocks an enzyme involved in regulating the size of blood vessels, and therefore blood pressure, notes the Mayo Clinic. They lead to a decrease in the amount of work the heart must do to perform efficiently. Some examples are the generic drugs lisinopril and enalapril. Any of these drugs may cause low blood pressure, cough and elevated blood potassium. Rarely, a severe allergic reaction termed angioedema can develop in those taking ACE inhibitors.
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers
These drugs, with names such as losartan and valsartan, are often used as an alternative in people who cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors. The ARBs, as they are known, affect the same system as ACE inhibitors, but in a different manner. They may also cause low blood pressure and dizziness.
Beta Blockers
These medications treat left-sided heart failure by lowering blood pressure and slowing the heart rate. As noted by the Mayo Clinic, these medicines may also suppress abnormal heart rhythms. Carvedilol and metoprolol, among others, may slow the heart rate too much or could worsen asthma or other lung diseases. They are generally not begun in people with unstable, decompensated heart failure, for fear of worsening the condition.
Diuretics
This class of drugs is also known as "water pills" because they increase urination and lower the amount of fluid in the body. This is helpful in treating the fluid and sodium retention often seen in heart failure. Some examples of medications in this category are hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide and bumetanide. Another drug, spironolactone, acts as a diuretic but also blocks a hormone that worsens heart failure, as seen on the University of Maryland website. Diuretics are notorious for causing electrolyte imbalances through their effects on sodium and potassium.
Digitalis
Digitalis is a drug that increases the strength of the heart muscle's contractions, according to the National Library of Medicine. It may suppress abnormal heart rhythms, but t's effectiveness in treating left-sided heart failure is tempered by it's tendency to cause an irregular heart beat as well. It has been proven to decrease hospitalizations, but not deaths, from heart failure.
