Besides The Price, Is There A Difference Between Generic And Brand-Name Heart Medications?

— -- Question: Besides the price, is there a difference between generic and brand-name heart medications?

Answer: That is a question that comes up all the time, and in general, what I tell my patients is that if there's a generic version available of a drug, here in the US, getting it from a trusted pharmacy in the US, then I think it makes sense to go with what's cheaper.

And in general, generics are as good as branded medications. Now there are some specific drugs where the levels have to be just right; there may be exceptions.

But as a generality, I think it's ok to substitute. But I do think that's an important point to check with your individual physician, and make sure your particular medications aren't one of the few where going to generic might pose a problem.

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