Medications help reduce the symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF) and can actually improve heart muscle function. There are several main classes of medications that are used for treating a weak heart muscle. Your physician will choose medications based on your symptoms and whether your heart needs to be strengthened or relaxed. The types of medications commonly prescribed for heart failure include:

Beta-blockers: carvedilol (Coreg), bisoprolol (Zebeta), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nebivolol (Bystolic), acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), betaxolol (Kerlone), carteolol (Cartrol), esmolol (Brevibloc), penbutolol (Levatol), nadolol (Corgard), pindolol (Visken), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), timolol (Blocadren), labetalol (Trandate, Normodyne)

Diuretics (water pills):

Thiazide diuretics: hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, Hydrodiuril), chlorothiazide (Diuril), metolazone (Mykrox, Zaroxolyn, Diulo), methyclothiazide (Enduron), indapamide (Lozol), chlorothalidone (Hygrotron)

Loop diuretics: furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex), torasemide (Demadex), ethacrynate (Edecrin) Potassium sparing diuretics: spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium), eplerenone (Inspra), amiloride hydrochloride

ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors: lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), benazepril (Lotensin), and captopril (Capoten), enalapril/enalaprilat (Vasotec oral and injectable), fosinopril (Monopril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), trandolapril (Mavik)

ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers): candesartan (Atacand), irbesartan (Avapro), olmesartan (Benicar), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), telmisartan (Micardis), eprosartan (Teveten)