Dosage and intake
The numerous different cardiac tablets can be prescribed in a variety of dosages and therapy regimens. With blood thinners such as Marcumar, the dosage must be selected so that a certain target range for blood thinning (quick value or INR) is reached. Depending on the underlying disease, this target range can vary, so that different dosages are necessary.
Beta-blockers must initially be given in low doses and are increased during the course of therapy to allow the body to get used to the drug. Drainage tablets are preferably taken in the morning and not in the evening to avoid going to the toilet at night. As with other medications, if you forget to take the next tablet, take it normally and do not double it, as many heart medications can have life-threatening side effects if overdosed.
Price
Since heart pills are only available on prescription and the costs are covered by the health insurance company in case of an appropriate indication, the price question does not arise for most patients. The price of heart tablets ranges from simple, well-known drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid (e.g. aspirin or generics), which cost a few euros per month, to new antibody drugs such as Alirocumab (Praluent), an antibody for cholesterol reduction with annual therapy costs of several thousand euros (as of 2017).
Heart pills and alcohol – is it compatible?
When taking heart pills, it is generally not necessary to abstain from alcohol. Since heart tablets often have to be taken permanently and some studies have found positive effects of alcohol in relation to heart disease, there is no reason to practice abstinence from alcohol. Alcohol and heart tablets usually do not lead to any limitations or undesirable side effects. In individual cases, however, the prescribing doctor or a pharmacist should be consulted about possible interactions with alcohol.