Verelan (Verapamil) for Hypertension

Verelan (verapamil) is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults with high blood pressure.

How Verelan Works and How It’s Taken

Verelan is a calcium channel blocker. It slows calcium from entering certain blood vessel and heart muscle cells. This helps blood vessels relax and widen, which lowers blood pressure and reduces how hard the heart works.

Doctors prescribe Verelan when adults need treatment for high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure can help reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Verelan comes as a sustained-release capsule filled with delayed-release pellets and is taken by mouth. The capsule may also be opened. Sprinkle the entire contents onto one spoonful of applesauce, swallow immediately without chewing, and then drink a glass of cool water. Do not crush or chew the pellets.

Typical Dosing for Hypertension

The recommended dose of Verelan is 240 milligrams by mouth once daily in the morning.

Some people, such as older adults or smaller individuals, may start with 120 milligrams once daily. A doctor may slowly increase the dose to 180, 240, 360, or 480 milligrams once daily based on how well it works and whether it is safe.

This information is based on prescribing information, but your healthcare provider may tailor your treatment plan. Always follow their guidance.

Verelan Side Effects

In clinical studies of Verelan for hypertension in adults, the most common side effects occurred in about 1 percent to 7 percent of people. These included:

Constipation
Headache
Dizziness
Lethargy (feeling very tired)
Dyspepsia (indigestion)
Rash
Ankle edema (swelling)
Sleep disturbance
Myalgia (muscle pain)

Serious Side Effects and Warnings

Verelan can cause serious side effects that may require immediate medical attention. These include:

Heart failure or pulmonary edema — Fluid may build up in the lungs and cause shortness of breath.
Hypotension (low blood pressure) — Blood pressure may drop too low, causing dizziness or fainting.
Atrioventricular (AV) block and bradycardia (slow heart rate) — Electrical signals in the heart may slow, causing lightheadedness, fainting, or severe fatigue.
Hepatocellular injury (liver injury) — Liver inflammation or damage may cause malaise, fever, pain in the upper right abdomen, or abnormal liver test results.
Paralytic ileus — The intestines may temporarily stop moving, causing severe constipation, abdominal swelling, or vomiting.
Severe skin reactions — Stevens-Johnson syndrome or erythema multiforme can cause blistering or peeling skin.

Get medical help right away if you think you are having a serious reaction.

What To Know Before Taking Verelan

Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to verapamil or any ingredients in Verelan.

Tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Verelan can interact with many other medicines.

Do not take Verelan if you have:

Severe weakness of the heart’s main pumping chamber
Very low blood pressure, with a systolic pressure below 90 mm Hg, or cardiogenic shock
Sick sinus syndrome, unless you have a working artificial pacemaker
Second- or third-degree AV block, unless you have a working artificial pacemaker
Atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation with an accessory bypass tract, such as Wolff-Parkinson-White or Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome
An allergy to verapamil hydrochloride

If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding while taking Verelan, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits.

Verapamil passes into breast milk. Breastfeeding should be stopped while taking Verelan.

Community FAQs

These answers are fact-checked by our editorial staff.

How effective is Verelan for high blood pressure?

In clinical studies, the usual Verelan dose was 240 milligrams once daily. Its blood pressure-lowering effects were seen within the first week of treatment.

Some people may start with 120 milligrams once daily. A doctor may raise the dose to as much as 480 milligrams once daily based on how well it works and whether it is safe. The prescribing information does not provide a specific success rate.

How long does Verelan take to work for high blood pressure?

Verelan starts lowering blood pressure within the first week of treatment.

After a dose, verapamil levels in the blood usually reach their highest point in about seven to nine hours. This timing does not mean the full blood pressure effect happens at that exact time.

Can Verelan be used with other medicines for high blood pressure?

Verelan can interact with many medicines. These include:

Beta blockers
Digoxin
Clonidine
Flecainide
Quinidine
Ivabradine
Some other blood pressure medicines

Some combinations can cause very low blood pressure, a slow heart rate, heart block, or higher levels of a medicine in the blood. A doctor may need to monitor you closely, and some combinations should be avoided.

What tests or monitoring are needed with Verelan for high blood pressure?

Your doctor may check your blood pressure, heart rate, and the electrical signals in your heart. Liver tests may also be checked from time to time because Verelan can raise liver enzyme levels.

People with liver or kidney problems may need closer monitoring for signs that the medicine is having too strong an effect.