Skip to main content
Prescribing Information
Medication Guide

Questions About Heart Failure

Frequently asked questions

Heart failure happens when your heart is weak and cannot pump enough blood to your lungs and the rest of your body. VERQUVO is used in adults who are having symptoms of their chronic (long-lasting) heart failure, who have had a recent hospitalization or the need to receive intravenous (IV) medicines and have an ejection fraction (amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat) of less than 45 percent.

Symptoms may include a fast heartbeat; shortness of breath; ongoing coughing or wheezing; feeling dizzy, weak, or tired; or swelling of the feet or legs. These are not the only symptoms of heart failure.

Over 1 million people in the United States are hospitalized every year with heart failure.

About 56% of patients hospitalized (or who receive IV medicine) due to increased heart failure symptoms return to the hospital within 30 days.*

*From a study of heart failure patients in the National PINNACLE Registry, where 1,851 patients with an ejection fraction (amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat) less than or equal to 45% had increased symptoms of heart failure that required hospitalization or IV medicine.

Yes, following recommendations for a healthy diet and exercise plan can help alleviate heart failure symptoms and improve everyday life.

A heart-healthy diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry, fish, nuts, and legumes. A heart-healthy diet also limits saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, red meat, sweets, and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Talk to your doctor about an exercise plan you can do regularly as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Some healthy habits to consider when living with heart failure include quitting smoking, managing a healthy weight, getting enough rest, managing stress, and limiting caffeine and alcohol. Talk to your doctor about other lifestyle changes that may help.

VERQUVO is a prescription medicine used in adults who are having symptoms of their chronic (long-lasting) heart failure, who have had a recent hospitalization or the need to receive intravenous (IV) medicines and have an ejection fraction (amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat) of less than 45 percent to reduce the risk of dying and to reduce the need to be hospitalized.

VERQUVO may cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy.

  • Females must not be pregnant when they start taking VERQUVO.
  • For females who are able to get pregnant:
    • Your healthcare provider will do a pregnancy test to make sure that you are not pregnant before you start taking VERQUVO.
    • You must use effective forms of birth control during treatment and for 1 month after you stop treatment with VERQUVO. Talk to your healthcare provider about forms of birth control that you may use to prevent pregnancy during treatment with VERQUVO.
    • Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during treatment with VERQUVO.

Do not take VERQUVO if you:

  • are taking another medicine called a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator (sGC). Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure if you are taking an sGC medicine.
  • are pregnant.

The most common side effects of VERQUVO include:

  • low blood pressure
  • low red blood cells (anemia)
These are not all the side effects of VERQUVO. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

VERQUVO helps relax and widen the blood vessels in the heart. This makes it easier for the heart to pump more blood and oxygen throughout the body.

VERQUVO may help you live longer and stay out of the hospital. It's the first and only FDA-approved medicine studied specifically in patients who had a recent heart failure hospitalization or received IV medicine for their heart failure.†

†Over 5,000 heart failure patients participated.

  • Take VERQUVO exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to.
  • Take VERQUVO 1 time each day with food.
  • Swallow VERQUVO tablets whole. If you are not able to swallow the tablet whole, you may crush VERQUVO tablets and mix with water right before taking your dose.
  • Your healthcare provider may change your dose—when you first start taking VERQUVO to find the best dose for you and how well you tolerate VERQUVO.
  • If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember on the same day of the missed dose. Do not take 2 doses of VERQUVO on the same day to make up for a missed dose.
  • If you take too much VERQUVO, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Take VERQUVO exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to. Be sure to talk to your doctor about all medicines you are taking. Do not take VERQUVO if you are taking another medicine called a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator (sGC). Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure if you are taking an sGC medicine.

VERQUVO has been studied with a number of other medications, including:

  • beta blockers
  • angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  • angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
  • mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs)
  • a combination of an angiotensin receptor and neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI)
  • ivabradine
  • sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors

There are a number of helpful resources available for people taking VERQUVO. Downloadable resources include the Patient Brochure for VERQUVO, the Doctor Discussion Guide, and the Caregiver Brochure.

Yes, privately insured patients may be eligible for a savings offer on out-of-pocket prescription costs. Not valid for patients who are uninsured or patients with Medicare or other Government Program insurance. Not all patients are eligible. Certain restrictions apply. Please see the Coupon Offer page for the Terms and Conditions.

What is VERQUVO?

VERQUVO is a prescription medicine used in adults who are having symptoms of their chronic (long-lasting) heart failure, who have had a recent hospitalization or the need to receive intravenous (IV) medicines and have an ejection fraction (amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat) of less than 45 percent to reduce the risk of dying and to reduce the need to be hospitalized.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

VERQUVO may cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy.

  • Females must not be pregnant when they start taking VERQUVO.
  • For females who are able to get pregnant:
  • Your healthcare provider will do a pregnancy test to make sure that you are not pregnant before you start taking VERQUVO.
  • You must use effective forms of birth control during treatment and for 1 month after you stop treatment with VERQUVO. Talk to your healthcare provider about forms of birth control that you may use to prevent pregnancy during treatment.
  • Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during treatment with VERQUVO.

Do not take VERQUVO if you:

  • are taking another medicine called a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator (sGC). Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure if you are taking an sGC medicine.
  • are pregnant.

Before taking VERQUVO, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if VERQUVO passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed if you take VERQUVO. Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take VERQUVO.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take. Certain other medicines may affect how VERQUVO works.

The most common side effects of VERQUVO include:

  • low blood pressure
  • low red blood cells (anemia)

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.

Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please read the accompanying Medication Guide for VERQUVO, including the information about birth defects if taken during pregnancy, and discuss it with your doctor. The physician Prescribing Information also is available.