I'm thinking about trying to change from verapa.mil to another medicine that does the same thing .

joe,

Thanks for your question. 

If the verapamil has been effective with no side effects, I'm not sure why you want to make a switch.  Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker that has been in use for many years.  There are several different medications in this class including nifedipine, diltiazem, and amlodipine, with amlodipine being the latest of the three, and very popular in the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension). 

There are several other class of drugs used in the treatment of hypertension.  These include ACE I inhibitors, ACE II blockers (ARB's), beta blockers, diuretics, alpha blockers, and few other lesser used categories.

Your doctor takes many aspects of your care into consideration when choosing a medication.  These include:  your blood pressure readings and their response to medication in the past; any underlying medical conditions that may be influenced by the medication; aspects of your physical examination such as pulse rate; and, other medications that you may be taking at the time.  Choosing the right medication can be challenging, and in many cases, trial and error with different dosages and different drugs is required.

I encourage you to discuss this with your physician.  Ask him/her what their choices would be and why.  I'm sure your input into this decision will be taken into consideration.

Best wishes.

Martin Cane, M.D.