What is Carvedilol?
Carvedilol, also known by the brand names Coreg, Carvil, Carloc, Dilatrend, and Eucardic, is a controlled-release beta- blocker that is prescribed in tablet or extended-release capsule form. This means that when administered, carvedilol blocks the norepinephrine that stimulates heart muscles, relaxing blood vessels and effectively slowing heartbeat. This reduces the workload of the heart, which can be overly taxed from pumping blood too forcefully throughout the body, and has the effect of lowering blood pressure.
Because of its ability to lower blood pressure, relax the heart, and regulate blood flow throughout the body, carvedilol is often used as a treatment for high blood pressure, as well as for congestive heart failure (a condition characterized by the heart’s inability to pump sufficient amounts blood to other organs).
It is also often prescribed for those who have just suffered a heart attack, and who need medication to help pump blood more effectively throughout the body. Whiel carvedilol can keep these conditions under control, but it is not a curative drug.
