COMMON MEDICATIONS PRESCRIBED AFTER CARDIAC SURGERY
Click on a topic below to learn more about these common types of medications that are prescribed after cardiac surgery:
Ace Inhibitors
Ace inhibitors were invented to treat high blood pressure and are very useful in patients who have experienced a heart attack or have undergone heart surgery. The blood pressure-lowering effect of ace inhibitors makes it easier for the heart to work during the recovery period following a heart attack, thus enabling the body to heal more completely. There are certain patients who benefit from the use of an ace inhibitor because of congestive heart failure.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers were developed primarily to treat high blood pressure. This medication is useful for patients with angina and for those recovering from a heart attack. Beta blockers work by slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure and reducing the force of contractions of the heart. These medicines in general make it easier for the heart to do its job, thus relieving the workload on the heart. This class of medicine is also used to treat irregular heart beats and a variety of other non-cardiac problems. There are many different preparations of beta blockers, each with its own unique characteristics.
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Lasix
Lasix is a diuretic that causes your kidneys to excrete fluid, which means it will make you urinate more frequently. Cardiac surgical patients tend to accumulate fluid in the post-operative period, and most begin receiving Lasix while in the hospital to remove this fluid. Continuing Lasix at home will help to fully remove the excess fluid from your body. Patients are cautioned not to take this medication prior to going to bed at night because the need to urinate frequently will interrupt sleep.
One significant side effect of this medicine is that it will remove potassium from your body. It is important for you to put potassium back into your system to counteract this effect. To replace lost potassium, it is recommended that patients taking Lasix eat one or more pieces of fruit a day. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium. You also may be prescribed a potassium supplement by your physician.
Digoxin
This medicine, which also goes by the name Lanoxin or Digitalis, has been used for many years. Its primary effect is to control your heart rate. Patients who are prescribed this medication may have experienced atrial flutter or fibrillation following surgery. This medicine helps your heart recover its normal beating mechanism and controls the high heart rates associated with atrial fibrillation. Digoxin also is useful for the treatment of heart failure.
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Pain Medication
Patients recovering from cardiac surgery are given a prescription for a generous supply of pain medication upon discharge. Pain medications contain a mild narcotic, either codeine or a synthetic narcotic, which may cause side effects.
It is important, however, to take this medication as prescribed. Pain management is an important consideration during your recovery period. Most pain medication is relatively strong and will manage your pain quite well. Although it will not take all of the pain of your incision completely away, it should take the edge off your discomfort. Taking your pain medication as prescribed should keep you comfortable. Also, the quicker you get up and begin to move around, the quicker the underlying discomfort of your operation will subside.
Colace
Cardiac surgery patients are prescribed Colace to manage the side effects of pain medication.
This medicine is a stool softener that relieves constipation. It is important for you not to become constipated in the immediate post-operative period. Colace will counteract the constipating effect of pain medicines you are taking.
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Vitamins
Vitamins are prescribed for most patients because they fill the gaps in your diet in the early post-operative period when you do not have a good appetite. One-a-day multiple vitamins that you can obtain over-the-counter are adequate for this purpose. It is recommend that you take vitamins for at least one month following surgery.
Aspirin
Aspirin is a simple and old medicine that has proven to be very useful for thinning the blood. Most patients will be directed to take one aspirin daily following cardiac surgery. The anticoagulant effect of aspirin helps to prevent the formation of small clots on both bypass grafts and heart valves. One aspirin per day helps the long-term preservation of good function of your bypass grafts. Small doses of aspirin decrease the likelihood of gastric upset, which is the most common side effect.
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Coumadin
Coumadin is a very powerful anticoagulant that helps to control blood clotting. It works by interfering with the production of clotting factors in your liver. In patients who have had heart valves implanted or who are in chronic atrial fibrillation, it is extremely important that their blood be anticoagulated, or "thinned." The purpose of anticoagulation is to prevent the development of clots on the heart valve or in the chambers of the heart. If clots develop, they can interfere with the function of your new heart valve. They can also break free and migrate to other parts of the body, causing significant damage to the body.
There are a variety of significant side effects associated with Coumadin. Because the blood is thinned and does not clot normally, bumps and bruises that would not be a major problem under most circumstances, can sometimes be much more significant. It is important for you to understand Coumadin and to take great care when you take it. Your doctor will monitor you with a blood test called the "prothrombin time," and he or she will monitor a measure called the "INR." Prothrombin time and INR refer to measurements of the degree of anticoagulation of your blood. You can be both under-anticoagulated or over-anticoagulated, both of which are undesirable. Your physician will set up a regimen for you to have your blood tested on a regular basis in order to regulate the amount of Coumadin you should be taking. There is marked variability in patients' sensitivity to Coumadin. It is very important for you to listen carefully to your physician instructions about taking Coumadin.
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Antibiotics
Some patients following surgery will be placed on short-term antibiotic therapy to help combat infection in the lungs, kidney, or surgical wound. Diarrhea is a possible side effect of these medications and should be reported to your physician.
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