Drug & supplement interaction

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) + Verapamil

Verapamil brand names: Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, Verelan SR, and others.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) has a moderate interaction with Verapamil. Theoretically, taking EPA with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) and Verapamil

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Verapamil

Verapamil falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) interacts with.

Theoretically, taking EPA with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.
Fish oils containing EPA can lower blood pressure and might have additive effects in patients treated with antihypertensives; use with caution.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist: verapamil already lowers your blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels and easing how hard your heart works. EPA from fish oil can nudge blood pressure down a little on its own, so taking the two together may add up and push your numbers lower than you expect.

For most people this is a mild, manageable thing, not an emergency. But watch for signs your pressure dropped too far, like feeling dizzy or lightheaded (especially when standing up fast), unusual tiredness, or a faint feeling. The evidence here is fairly modest, and everyday amounts of fish from food are unlikely to cause trouble. Higher-dose EPA supplements are more likely to add up. Please don't start, stop, or change either one on your own, just check in with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Prisco D, Paniccia R, Bandinelli B, et al. Effect of medium-term supplementation with a moderate dose of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on blood pressure in mild hypertensive patients. Thromb Res 1998;1:105-12.
  2. Toft I, Bonaa KH, Ingebretsen OC, et al. Effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on glucose homeostasis and blood pressure in essential hypertension. A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1995;123:911-8.
  3. Sacks FM, Hebert P, Appel LJ, et al. Short report: the effect of fish oil on blood pressure and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in phase I of the trials of hypertension prevention. J Hypertens 1994;12:209-13.
  4. Vandongen R, Mori TA, Burke V, et al. Effects on blood pressure of omega 3 fats in subjects at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Hypertension 1993;22:371-9. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) Also Interacts With Other Medications

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) has 288 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Verapamil one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 288 No known interaction 2,542 (incl. Verapamil)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa)

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa). Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) or Verapamil

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) or Verapamil, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Verapamil

This page covers Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Verapamil page lists 295 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Beer (major) and Coleus (major).

By severity: 10 major · 245 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Verapamil page

“This is one of the longer interaction lists we publish, and with verapamil (Calan, Verelan) it warrants genuine care, starting with the ten major-rated entries. Verapamil lowers blood pressure and slows the heart, so most of the 295 ingredients on file either push that effect further than intended or change how much of the drug reaches…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Verapamil interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) and Verapamil Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa)
Steady interest

#1,216 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Verapamil
Top 5%

#128 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa)

What is Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa)?

  • Heart and triglyceride health
  • Inflammation
  • Mood and depression support
  • Joint comfort
  • General omega-3 supplementation

EPA is an omega-3 fatty acid found mostly in fatty fish and fish oil, and it is best known for lowering high triglycerides. It may also help with inflammation and mood in some people, but evidence varies by condition. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially if you take blood thinners or have a fish allergy.

Read the full Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Verapamil

What Is Verapamil Used For?

Brand names: Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, Verelan SR, Calan, Covera HS, Verap, Veramil

Verapamil tablets and film-coated tablets are used to treat angina — including vasospastic (Prinzmetal's) angina, unstable angina, and chronic stable angina — as well as certain abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and high blood pressure (essential hypertension). For arrhythmias, regular-release tablets are used alongside digoxin to control heart rate in atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation, and to help prevent episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a type of rapid heartbeat.

Extended-release and sustained-release oral forms (tablets and capsules) are indicated specifically for high blood pressure. Verapamil hydrochloride injection is used in hospital settings for rapid conversion of SVT to normal rhythm and for temporary control of fast heart rates in atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation.

See full Verapamil drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa)

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
288Moderate
0Minor
2,541No known interaction
288 Moderate 2,541 No interaction
Moderate

288 interactions

Showing 60 of 288 moderate interactions — see all 288 on the Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) page.

No interaction 2,541 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,541 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) list.

See the full Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) interactions page
See every supplement checked against Verapamil, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Verapamil supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Verapamil, ranked by severity Verapamil drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) and Verapamil Together: Common Questions

Can you take Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) with Verapamil?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Eicosapentaenoic Acid (epa) and Verapamil interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.