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eplerenone vs verapamil

Side-by-side comparison of eplerenone and verapamil. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

major Known Drug Interaction

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS • CYP3A Inhibitors: In post-MI HFrEF patients, do not exceed 25 mg once daily when used with moderate CYP3A inhibitors (e.g., verapamil, erythromycin, saquinavir, fluconazole).

Recommendation: Your doctor should limit your eplerenone dose to 25 mg once daily when taking these together.

Drug Class
eplerenone Aldosterone Antagonist
verapamil Calcium Channel Blocker
Type
eplerenone Prescription
verapamil Prescription
Summary
eplerenone

Eplerenone (Inspra) helps you live longer if you have heart failure after a heart attack. It also lowers blood pressure if you have high blood pressure.

verapamil

Verapamil is a drug that helps to lower blood pressure and treat chest pain (angina) and irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). It works by relaxing blood vessels and slowing down the heart rate.

What It Treats
eplerenone

Eplerenone is used to help people with heart failure who have had a heart attack live longer. It is also used to treat high blood pressure in adults. Lowering blood pressure helps reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

verapamil

Verapamil is used to treat chest pain called angina. This includes angina that happens when you are resting or during normal activity. It is also used to control your heart rate if you have a fast or irregular heartbeat, such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Verapamil also treats high blood pressure.

How It Works
eplerenone

Eplerenone blocks a hormone called aldosterone in your body. Aldosterone can cause your body to hold onto too much salt and water, which can raise blood pressure and worsen heart failure. By blocking aldosterone, eplerenone helps lower blood pressure and reduce strain on the heart.

verapamil

Verapamil belongs to a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by blocking calcium from entering heart and blood vessel cells. This relaxes and widens blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure and makes it easier for the heart to pump.

Common Side Effects
eplerenone
  • High potassium levels in your blood
  • Increased creatinine levels
verapamil
  • Constipation
  • Shortness of breath
  • Dizziness
  • Slow heart rate (less than 50 beats per minute)
  • Nausea
FAERS Reports
eplerenone
  • Shortness of breath 1,083
  • Heart failure 939
  • Sudden kidney damage 905
  • Low blood pressure 859
  • Tiredness 658
verapamil
  • Shortness of breath 356
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 341
  • Interaction with another medicine 316
  • Feeling lightheaded or unsteady 286
  • Low blood pressure 280
Serious Warnings
eplerenone

Eplerenone can cause high potassium levels in your blood, which can be dangerous. Your doctor will check your potassium levels before you start taking eplerenone and regularly while you are taking it. People with kidney problems, diabetes, or who take certain other medicines are at higher risk.

verapamil

You should not take this medicine if you have severe heart problems, very low blood pressure, or certain types of irregular heartbeats without a pacemaker. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these conditions.

Pregnancy
eplerenone

It is not known if eplerenone can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if eplerenone passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking eplerenone.

verapamil

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if verapamil will harm your unborn baby. Verapamil can pass into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take this medicine.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This eplerenone vs verapamil Comparison

eplerenone is classified in the Aldosterone Antagonist drug class, while verapamil sits within the Calcium Channel Blocker class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, eplerenone has 4,444 submissions while verapamil has 1,579. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to verapamil slows down the body's ability to process eplerenone, which can cause the drug to reach higher levels in your blood.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between eplerenone and verapamil - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.