Prescription medication · HCN Channel Blocker
ivabradine
Also sold as Corlanor. Ivabradine is used to lower the chance of hospitalization if your heart failure gets worse.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 6,539
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 10
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- 57% less
- Generic vs brandBig savings
- $9.53
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
ivabradine (Corlanor) is a prescription HCN Channel Blocker, reported less often than most tracked drugs (6,539 FDA reports), whose generic runs roughly half the brand price or less (57% less).
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
ivabradine (Corlanor) is a prescription HCN Channel Blocker. Ivabradine is used to lower the chance of hospitalization if your heart failure gets worse.
Ivabradine (Corlanor) is a medicine that helps lower the risk of needing to go to the hospital for worsening heart failure. It works by slowing down your heart rate.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$9.53/unit
Generic Price
$4.12/unit
Generic Savings
57%
Generic Available
Yes (6 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Ivabradine is used to lower the chance of hospitalization if your heart failure gets worse.
Common side effects
Slow heart rate, High blood pressure, Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)
Key warnings
Ivabradine can harm an unborn baby.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from ivabradine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Ivabradine works by blocking certain channels in your heart called HCN channels. These channels control your heart's natural pacemaker. By blocking these channels, ivabradine slows down your heart rate.
How to Take It
Take ivabradine twice a day with food. The usual starting dose is 5 mg twice daily, but some people may start at 2.5 mg twice daily. After 2 weeks, your doctor will check your heart rate and may change your dose. The goal is to keep your resting heart rate between 50 and 60 beats per minute. The highest dose you can take is 7.5 mg twice a day.
This is a plain-language summary of ivabradine's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Ivabradine can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking ivabradine.
This is a plain-language summary of ivabradine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of ivabradine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store ivabradine tablets at room temperature (between 59°F and 86°F).
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 6,539 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for ivabradine, by number of reports
- Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath
459 reports
- Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure
413 reports
- Feeling lightheaded or unsteady
Feeling lightheaded or unsteady
350 reports
- Heart failure
Heart failure
324 reports
- Feeling very tired
Feeling very tired
317 reports
- When medicines affect each other
When medicines affect each other
308 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
253 reports
- Slow heart rate
Slow heart rate
248 reports
- Pain in your head
Pain in your head
231 reports
- Pain in your chest
Pain in your chest
195 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for ivabradine each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where ivabradine sits
ivabradine has more FDA adverse-event reports than 30% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is ivabradine; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 6,539 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2007–2025.
Total Reports
6,539
Reports Mentioning Death
494
7.6% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
2,361
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | DYSPNOEA | 460 |
| 3 | HYPOTENSION | 413 |
| 4 | DIZZINESS | 350 |
| 5 | CARDIAC FAILURE | 324 |
| 6 | FATIGUE | 317 |
| 7 | DRUG INTERACTION | 308 |
| 9 | NAUSEA | 253 |
| 10 | BRADYCARDIA | 248 |
| 11 | HEADACHE | 231 |
| 12 | CHEST PAIN | 195 |
| 13 | MALAISE | 185 |
| 14 | PALPITATIONS | 174 |
| 15 | ASTHENIA | 162 |
| 16 | SYNCOPE | 156 |
| 17 | DIARRHOEA | 153 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Ivabradine can harm an unborn baby. If you are a woman who could get pregnant, use effective birth control while taking this medicine. This medicine can also cause a very slow heart rate. Your doctor will monitor your heart rate and adjust your dose as needed.
Known Drug Interactions
Cardiac Disorders : ranolazine, ivabradine ↑ ranolazine ↑ ivabradine Co-administration is contraindicated due to potential for serious and/or life-threatening reactions.
Mechanism: Darunavir prevents your body from clearing ivabradine, which causes the drug to build up to unsafe levels. This increase can lead to severe or life-threatening reactions.
What to do: Avoid taking these two drugs at the same time to prevent serious health risks.
Cardiovascular Drugs, Miscellaneous Ivabradine Ranolazine Contraindicated during and 2 weeks after itraconazole treatment.
Mechanism: Itraconazole stops your body from processing ivabradine, which can lead to a risky buildup of the heart medication.
What to do: Avoid using these two drugs at the same time or within two weeks of finishing your itraconazole prescription.
ivabradine ↑ ivabradine Co-administration with ivabradine is contraindicated due to potential for bradycardia or conduction disturbances [see Contraindications (4) ] .
Mechanism: Ritonavir blocks the breakdown of ivabradine, which makes the drug build up in your body. This can cause your heart to beat too slowly or skip beats.
What to do: Do not take these two medicines together. Your doctor will need to prescribe a different medication.
Pimozide, Quinidine, Ivabradine (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Not Studied In Vivo or In Vitro , but Drug Plasma Exposure Likely to be Increased Contraindicated because of potential for QT prolongation and rare occurrence of torsade de pointes.
Mechanism: Voriconazole stops the body from breaking down ivabradine, which can lead to dangerously high levels of the drug in the blood. This increase can cause serious and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm problems.
What to do: Do not take these two medications together. Your doctor should find an alternative treatment to avoid serious heart risks.
Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel blocker Ivabradine Can increase the risk of bradycardia.
Mechanism: Both of these medications work to slow down the heart. When taken together, they can cause the heart rate to drop to a level that is too slow.
What to do: Your doctor should check your pulse and heart rate often. Contact your doctor if you feel unusually weak, dizzy, or short of breath.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
What should I do if I feel dizzy while taking ivabradine?
Can I drink grapefruit juice while taking ivabradine?
Will ivabradine cure my heart failure?
Can I stop taking ivabradine on my own?
Does ivabradine affect my blood pressure?
Can I take other heart medications with ivabradine?
What if my heart rate goes too low?
How often will my doctor check my heart rate?
Can ivabradine cause vision problems?
Are there any foods I should avoid while taking ivabradine?
What are the common side effects of ivabradine?
Does ivabradine interact with other medications?
What drug class is ivabradine?
Is there a generic version of ivabradine?
Is ivabradine safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in HCN Channel Blocker
Other drugs grouped near ivabradine - same-class peers and common alternatives.
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amiodarone
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atropine
AtroPen
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bumetanide
Bumex
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carvedilol
Coreg
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for ivabradine
The FDA label for ivabradine (sold under brand names such as Corlanor) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the HCN Channel Blocker class. Ivabradine is used to lower the chance of hospitalization if your heart failure gets worse. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Slow heart rate, High blood pressure, Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation).
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 6,539 voluntary reports. The database also lists 10 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $4.12 versus $9.53 for the brand - a 57% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: April 15, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages