Calan is commonly prescribed to assist in the treatment of hypertension, angina, and in some cases to help control irregular heart rhythms. Calan is a member of the family of medications known as calcium channel blockers, and its job is to relax the blood vessels in the body to allow the blood to flow with less resistance. As the blood flows with less resistance, the heart does not need to work as hard in order to meet the body's demand for blood supply. Calan is also prescribed generically as verapamil and should always be taken regularly. Stopping Calan without a physician's approval can create a worsening of the original condition.
Calan is not a medication that can be prescribed to all patients, and should never be prescribed without a thorough medical assessment. Patients with a history of kidney disease, muscular dystrophy, liver disease, or additional heart condition like sick sinus syndrome or heart failure, or any other heart condition unrelated to those specified may not be able to take Calan or may require monitoring or dosage adjustments while undergoing drug therapy with this medication, depending on the condition and the severity of the condition.