Muscle relaxants

Diltiazem Hydrochloride

Approved 28 Apr 2020OralCapsule, extended release

The FDA lists this product in 60 strengths and forms.

Indications

Diltiazem Hydrochloride Extended-release Capsules, USP are indicated for the treatment of hypertension. Diltiazem hydrochloride may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive medications, such as diuretics. Diltiazem Hydrochloride Extended-release Capsules, USP are indicated for the management of chronic stable angina.

Contraindications

Diltiazem hydrochloride is contraindicated in: (1) patients with sick sinus syndrome except in the presence of a functioning ventricular pacemaker; (2) patients with second or third degree AV block except in the presence of a functioning ventricular pacemaker; (3) patients with hypotension (less than 90 mmHg systolic); (4) patients who have demonstrated hypersensitivity to the drug; and (5) patients with acute myocardial infarction and pulmonary congestion as documented by X-ray on admission.

Warnings and precautions

Cardiac Conduction: Diltiazem hydrochloride prolongs AV node refractory periods without significantly prolonging sinus node recovery time, except in patients with sick sinus syndrome. This effect may rarely result in abnormally slow heart rates (particularly in patients with sick sinus syndrome) or second, or third degree AV block (22 of 10,119 patients, or 0.2%); 41% of these 22 patients were receiving concomitant β-adrenoceptor antagonists versus 17% of the total group.

Concomitant use of diltiazem with beta-blockers or digitalis may result in additive effects on cardiac conduction. A patient with Prinzmetal’s angina developed periods of asystole (2 to 5 seconds) after a single 60 mg dose of diltiazem. Congestive Heart Failure: Although diltiazem has a negative inotropic effect in isolated animal tissue preparations, hemodynamic studies in humans with normal ventricular function have not shown a reduction in cardiac index nor consistent negative effects on contractility (dp/dt).

An acute study of oral diltiazem in patients with impaired ventricular function (ejection fraction of 24% ± 6%) showed improvement in indices of ventricular function without significant decrease in contractile function (dp/dt). Worsening of congestive heart failure has been reported in patients with preexisting impairment of ventricular function. Experience with the use of diltiazem hydrochloride in combination with beta-blockers in patients with impaired ventricular function is limited.

Interactions

Drug Interactions: Due to the potential for additive effects, caution and careful titration are warranted in patients receiving diltiazem hydrochloride concomitantly with any agents known to affect cardiac contractility and/or conduction. (See WARNINGS .) Pharmacologic studies indicate that there may be additive effects in prolonging AV conduction when using beta-blockers or digitalis concomitantly with diltiazem hydrochloride.

(See WARNINGS .) As with all drugs, care should be exercised when treating patients with multiple medications. Diltiazem hydrochloride undergoes biotransformation by cytochrome P-450 mixed function oxidase. Co-administration of diltiazem hydrochloride with other agents which follow the same route of biotransformation may result in the competitive inhibition of metabolism. Especially in patients with renal and/or hepatic impairment, dosages of similarly metabolized drugs, particularly those of low therapeutic ratio such as cyclosporine, may require adjustment when starting or stopping concomitantly administered diltiazem hydrochloride to maintain optimum therapeutic blood levels.

Concomitant administration of diltiazem with carbamazepine has been reported to result in elevated plasma levels of carbamazepine, resulting in toxicity in some cases. Beta-Blockers: Controlled and uncontrolled domestic studies suggest that concomitant use of diltiazem hydrochloride and beta-blockers is usually well-tolerated, but available data are not sufficient to predict the effects of concomitant treatment in patients with left ventricular dysfunction or cardiac conduction abnormalities.

Administration of diltiazem hydrochloride concomitantly with propranolol in five normal volunteers resulted in increased propranolol levels in all subjects and the bioavailability of propranolol was increased approximately 50%. If combination therapy is initiated or withdrawn in conjunction with propranolol, an adjustment in the propranolol dose may be warranted. (See WARNINGS .) Cimetidine: A study in six healthy volunteers has shown a significant increase in peak diltiazem plasma levels (58%) and area-under-the-curve (53%) after a 1 week course of cimetidine at 1,200 mg per day and diltiazem 60 mg per day.

Ranitidine produced smaller, nonsignificant increases. The effect may be mediated by cimetidine’s known inhibition of hepatic cytochrome P-450, the enzyme system responsible for the first-pass metabolism of diltiazem. Patients currently receiving diltiazem therapy should be carefully monitored for a change in pharmacological effect when initiating and discontinuing therapy with cimetidine. An adjustment in the diltiazem dose may be warranted.

Clonidine: Sinus bradycardia resulting in hospitalization and pacemaker insertion has been reported in association with the use of clonidine concurrently with diltiazem. Monitor heart rate in patients receiving concomitant diltiazem and clonidine. Digitalis: Administration of diltiazem hydrochloride with digoxin in 24 healthy male subjects increased plasma digoxin concentrations approximately 20%. Another investigator found no increase in digoxin levels in 12 patients with coronary artery disease.

Since there have been conflicting results regarding the effects of digoxin levels, it is recommended that digoxin levels be monitored when initiating, adjusting, and discontinuing diltiazem hydrochloride therapy to avoid possible over- or under-digitalization. (See WARNINGS .) Anesthetics: The depression of cardiac contractility, conductivity, and automaticity as well as the vascular dilation associated with anesthetics may be potentiated by calcium channel blockers.

When used concomitantly, anesthetics and calcium channel blockers should be titrated carefully. Statins: Diltiazem is an inhibitor of CYP3A4 and has been shown to increase significantly the AUC of some statins. The risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis with statins metabolized by CYP3A4 may be increased with concomitant use of diltiazem. When possible, use a non-CYP3A4-metabolized statin with diltiazem; otherwise, dose adjustments for both diltiazem and the statin should be considered along with close monitoring for signs and symptoms of any statin related adverse events.

In a healthy volunteer cross-over study (N=10), co-administration of a single 20 mg dose of simvastatin at the end of a 14 day regimen with 120 mg twice daily diltiazem SR resulted in a 5-fold higher mean simvastatin AUC compared with simvastatin alone. High average steady-state exposures of diltiazem would result in a greater increase in simvastatin exposure. A daily dose of 480 mg of diltiazem would be expected to result in an 8-fold higher mean simvastatin AUC compared with simvastatin alone.

If co-administration of simvastatin with diltiazem is required, limit the daily doses of simvastatin to 10 mg and diltiazem to 240 mg. In a ten-subject randomized, open label, 4-way cross-over study, co-administration of diltiazem (120 mg twice daily diltiazem SR for 2 weeks) with a single 20 mg dose of lovastatin resulted in 3- to 4-fold higher mean lovastatin AUC and C max values compared with lovastatin alone. In the same study, there was no significant change in 20 mg single dose pravastatin AUC and C max during diltiazem co-administration.

Adverse reactions

Serious adverse reactions to diltiazem hydrochloride have been rare in studies with other formulations, as well as with diltiazem hydrochloride extended-release capsules. It should be recognized, however, that patients with impaired ventricular function and cardiac conduction abnormalities have usually been excluded from these studies. Hypertension: The most common adverse events (frequency ≥1%) in placebo-controlled, clinical hypertension studies with diltiazem hydrochloride extended-release. using daily doses up to 540 mg, are listed in the table below with placebo-treated patients included for comparison.

MOST COMMON ADVERSE EVENTS IN DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED HYPERTENSION TRIALS Diltiazem Hydrochloride Extended-Release Adverse events occurring in 1% or more of patients receiving diltiazem hydrochloride extended-release. Placebo Adverse Events n=303 n=87 (COSTART Term) # pts (%) # pts (%) rhinitis 29 (9.6) 7 (8.0) headache 27 (8.9) 12 (13.8) pharyngitis 17 (5.6) 4 (4.6) constipation 11 (3.6) 2 (2.3) cough increase 9 (3.0) 2 (2.3) flu syndrome 7 (2.3) 1 (1.1) edema, peripheral 7 (2.3) 0 (0.0) myalgia 7 (2.3) 0 (0.0) diarrhea 6 (2.0) 0 (0.0) vomiting 6 (2.0) 0 (0.0) sinusitis 6 (2.0) 1 (1.1) asthenia 5 (1.7) 0 (0.0) pain, back 5 (1.7) 2 (2.3) nausea 5 (1.7) 1 (1.1) dyspepsia 4 (1.3) 0 (0.0) vasodilatation 4 (1.3) 0 (0.0) injury, accident 4 (1.3) 0 (0.0) pain, abdominal 3 (1.0) 0 (0.0) arthrosis 3 (1.0) 0 (0.0) insomnia 3 (1.0) 0 (0.0) dyspnea 3 (1.0) 0 (0.0) rash 3 (1.0) 1 (1.1) tinnitus 3 (1.0) 0 (0.0) Angina: The most common adverse events (frequency ≥1%) in a placebo-controlled, short-term (2 week) clinical angina study with diltiazem hydrochloride extended-release are listed in the table below with placebo-treated patients included for comparison.

In this trial, following a placebo phase, patients were randomly assigned to once daily doses of either 120, 240, or 480 mg of diltiazem hydrochloride extended-release. MOST COMMON ADVERSE EVENTS IN A DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED SHORT-TERM, ANGINA TRIALS Diltiazem Hydrochloride Extended-Release Adverse events occurring in 1% or more of patients receiving diltiazem hydrochloride extended-release. Placebo Adverse Events n=139 n=50 (COSTART Term) # pts (%) # pts (%) asthenia 5 (3.6) 2 (4.0) headache 4 (2.9) 3 (6.0) pain, back 4 (2.9) 1 (2.0) rhinitis 4 (2.9) 1 (2.0) constipation 3 (2.2) 1 (2.0) nausea 3 (2.2) 0 (0.0) edema, peripheral 3 (2.2) 1 (2.0) dizziness 3 (2.2) 0 (0.0) cough, increased 3 (2.2) 0 (0.0) bradycardia 2 (1.4) 0 (0.0) fibrillation, atrial 2 (1.4) 0 (0.0) arthralgia 2 (1.4) 0 (0.0) dream, abnormal 2 (1.4) 0 (0.0) dyspnea 2 (1.4) 0 (0.0) pharyngitis 2 (1.4) 1 (2.0) Infrequent Adverse Events: The following additional events (COSTART Terms), listed by body system, were reported infrequently (less than 1%) in all subjects, hypertensive (n=425) or angina (n=318) patients who received diltiazem hydrochloride extended-release, or with other formulations of diltiazem.

Hypertension: Cardiovascular: First-degree AV block, arrhythmia, postural hypotension, tachycardia, pallor, palpitations, phlebitis, ECG abnormality, ST elevation. Nervous System: Vertigo, hypertonia, paresthesia, dizziness, somnolence. Digestive System: Dry mouth, anorexia, tooth disorder, eructation. Skin and Appendages: Sweating, urticaria, skin hypertrophy (nevus). Respiratory System: Epistaxis, bronchitis, respiratory disorder.

Urogenital System: Cystitis, kidney calculus, impotence, dysmenorrhea, vaginitis, prostate disease. Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders: Gout, edema. Musculoskeletal System: Arthralgia, bursitis, bone pain. Hemic and Lymphatic System: Lymphadenopathy. Body as a Whole: Pain, unevaluable reaction, neck pain, neck rigidity, fever, chest pain, malaise. Special Senses: Amblyopia (blurred vision), ear pain. Angina: Cardiovascular: Palpitations, AV block, sinus bradycardia, bigeminal extrasystole, angina pectoris, hypertension, hypotension, myocardial infarct, myocardial ischemia, syncope, vasodilatation, ventricular extrasystole.

Nervous System: Abnormal thinking, neuropathy, paresthesia. Digestive System: Diarrhea, dyspepsia, vomiting, colitis, flatulence, GI hemorrhage, stomach ulcers. Skin and Appendages: Contact dermatitis, pruritus, sweating. Respiratory System: Respiratory distress. Urogenital System: Kidney failure, pyelonephritis, urinary tract infection. Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders: Weight increase. Musculoskeletal System: Myalgia.

Body as a Whole: Chest pain, accidental injury, infection. Special Senses: Eye hemorrhage, ophthalmitis, otitis media, taste perversion, tinnitus. There have been post-marketing reports of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis associated with the use of diltiazem hydrochloride.

Diltiazem Hydrochloride

Indications

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

Two medicines in one question?

Interactions

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Adverse reactions

Composition

Strengths and forms

Official product information

At a glance

Guidelines