Verelan (Verapamil Hydrochloride) Drug Information: Description, User Reviews, Drug Side Effects, Interactions

Pill Identifier Search

May 27, 2012

Verelan

High Blood Pressure »

High blood pressure facts

High blood pressure (hypertension) is designated as either essential (primary) hypertension or secondary hypertension and is defined as a consistently elevated blood pressure exceeding 140/90 mm Hg.
High blood pressure is called "the silent killer" because it often causes no symptoms for many years, even decades, until it finally damages certain critical organs.
Poorly controlled high blood pressure ultimately can cause damage to blood vessels in the eye, thickening of the heart muscle and heart attacks, hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), kidney failure, and strokes.
Most antihypertensive medications can be used alone or in combination. Some are used only in combination. Some are preferred over others in certain specific medical situations. And some are not to be used (contraindicated) in other situations.
Several classes of antihypertensive medications are available, including ACE i...

Read the High Blood Pressure article »

Verelan

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Slideshow

Take the Salt Quiz!

Lowering Blood Pressure Exercise Tips Pictures

font size

Verelan®
(verapamil hydrochloride) Capsules

DRUG DESCRIPTION

Verelan® (verapamil hydrochloride capsules) is a calcium ion influx inhibitor (slow channel blocker or calcium ion antagonist). Verelan is available for oral administration as a 360 mg hard gelatin capsule (lavender cap/yellow body), a 240 mg hard gelatin capsule (dark blue cap/yellow body), a 180 mg hard gelatin capsule (light grey cap/yellow body), and a 120 mg hard gelatin capsule (yellow cap/yellow body). These pellet filled capsules provide a sustained-release of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract. The structural formula of verapamil HCl is given below:

Verelan® (verapamil hydrochloride capsules) Structural Formula Illustration

C₂₇H₃₈N₂O₄ •HCl M.W. = 491.0 7

Chemical name: Benzeneacetonitrile, α-[3-[[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethyl]methylamino]propyl]-3,4-dimethoxy-α-(1-methylethyl), monohydrochloride.

Verapamil HCl is an almost white, crystalline powder, practically free of odor, with a bitter taste. It is soluble in water, chloroform and methanol. Verapamil HCl is not structurally related to other cardioactive drugs. In addition to verapamil HCl the Verelan capsule contains the following inactive ingredients: fumaric acid, talc, sugar spheres, povidone, shellac, gelatin, FD&C red #40, yellow iron oxide, titanium dioxide, methylparaben, propylparaben, silicon dioxide, and sodium lauryl sulfate. In addition, the Verelan 240 mg and 360 mg capsules contain FD&C blue #1 and D&C red #28; and the Verelan 180 mg capsule contains black iron oxide.

Last reviewed on RxList: 11/28/2011
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.