Cardizem (Intravenous)

Diltiazem is used to manage fast heartbeats or irregular heart rhythms. It is part of a group of medications known as calcium channel blockers. Diltiazem influences how calcium moves into the cells of the heart and blood vessels. This causes the heart to beat more slowly and the blood vessels to relax, increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart while decreasing its workload.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Your doctor will only give you a few doses of this medicine until your condition improves, and then you will be switched to an oral medicine that works the same way. If you have any concerns about this, talk to your doctor.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the benefits it will provide. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also inform your healthcare professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of diltiazem in children. Safety and effectiveness have not been established.

Geriatric

No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of diltiazem in older adults. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney or liver problems, which may require a dose adjustment for patients taking diltiazem.

Breast Feeding

Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although some medicines should not be used together at all, in some cases, two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might happen. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional knows if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected based on their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Cisapride
• Eliglustat
• Flibanserin
• Lomitapide

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be necessary in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Abametapir
• Acalabrutinib
• Acebutolol
• Alfentanil
• Alprazolam
• Amiodarone
• Apixaban
• Aprepitant
• Atazanavir
• Atenolol
• Atorvastatin
• Avapritinib
• Benzhydrocodone
• Betaxolol
• Bisoprolol
• Bosutinib
• Brexpiprazole
• Brigatinib
• Buprenorphine
• Carbamazepine
• Carteolol
• Carvedilol
• Celiprolol
• Ceritinib
• Cilostazol
• Clarithromycin
• Clonidine
• Clopidogrel
• Clozapine
• Cobicistat
• Cobimetinib
• Codeine
• Colchicine
• Conivaptan
• Crizotinib
• Cyclosporine
• Dantrolene
• Daridorexant
• Darunavir
• Deflazacort
• Digoxin
• Dihydrocodeine
• Domperidone
• Doxorubicin
• Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome
• Dronedarone
• Droperidol
• Elacestrant
• Elexacaftor
• Encorafenib
• Entrectinib
• Epirubicin
• Eplerenone
• Erythromycin
• Esmolol
• Everolimus
• Fedratinib
• Fentanyl
• Fexinidazole
• Finerenone
• Fingolimod
• Fosaprepitant
• Fosnetupitant
• Gepirone
• Hydrocodone
• Ibrutinib
• Ifosfamide
• Infigratinib
• Itraconazole
• Ivabradine
• Ivacaftor
• Ivosidenib
• Labetalol
• Lacosamide
• Larotrectinib
• Lemborexant
• Levobunolol
• Lovastatin
• Lumateperone
• Lurasidone
• Lurbinectedin
• Mavacamten
• Melphalan
• Meperidine
• Methadone
• Metipranolol
• Metoprolol
• Mitapivat
• Mobocertinib
• Morphine
• Morphine Sulfate Liposome
• Nadolol
• Naloxegol
• Nebivolol
• Netupitant
• Nilotinib
• Olaparib
• Omaveloxolone
• Oxprenolol
• Oxycodone
• Pacritinib
• Palovarotene
• Pemigatinib
• Penbutolol
• Pentazocine
• Pexidartinib
• Phenobarbital
• Pindolol
• Piperaquine
• Pixantrone
• Ponesimod
• Pralsetinib
• Primidone
• Propranolol
• Ranolazine
• Rimegepant
• Rivaroxaban
• Selpercatinib
• Selumetinib
• Simeprevir
• Simvastatin
• Siponimod
• Sirolimus Protein-Bound
• Sonidegib
• Sotalol
• Sparsentan
• St John's Wort
• Sufentanil
• Tacrolimus
• Tazemetostat
• Tezacaftor
• Timolol
• Tolvaptan
• Tramadol
• Ubrogepant
• Venetoclax
• Venlafaxine
• Voclosporin
• Zanubrutinib
• Zolpidem

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may increase the risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be necessary for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Alfuzosin
• Amlodipine
• Buspirone
• Cimetidine
• Dalfopristin
• Digitoxin
• Dutasteride
• Efavirenz
• Enflurane
• Fosphenytoin
• Guggul
• Indinavir
• Lithium
• Methylprednisolone
• Midazolam
• Moricizine
• Nevirapine
• Phenytoin
• Quinupristin
• Rifampin
• Rifapentine
• Sirolimus
• Suvorexant
• Triazolam

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions. The following interactions have been selected based on their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Other Medical Problems

Having other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Atrial fibrillation (a type of abnormal heart rhythm) or
• Cardiogenic shock (shock caused by a heart attack) or
• Heart block (a type of abnormal heart rhythm, can use if you have a pacemaker) or
• Severe hypotension (blood pressure too low) or
• Short PR syndrome (a type of abnormal heart rhythm) or
• Sick sinus syndrome (a type of abnormal heart rhythm, can use if you have a pacemaker) or
• Ventricular tachycardia (a type of abnormal heart rhythm) or
• Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (a type of abnormal heart rhythm)—Should not use in patients with these conditions.

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease—Use with caution. The effects of this medicine may be increased because of slower removal from the body.

Along with its necessary effects, this medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Not all side effects may occur, but if they do, you may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

• Blurred vision
• Confusion
• Dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
• Sweating
• Unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common

• Fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat

Rare

• Anxiety
• Chest pain
• Decreased urine output
• Difficult or labored breathing
• Dilated neck veins
• Dry mouth
• Extreme fatigue
• Hyperventilation
• Irregular breathing
• Irritability
• Joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
• Lower back, side, or stomach pain
• Nervousness
• No heartbeat
• Palpitations
• Restlessness
• Shaking
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of feet or lower legs
• Tightness in chest
• Trouble sleeping
• Troubled breathing
• Weight gain
• Wheezing

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Your health care professional may also be able to tell you how to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

• Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site
• Feeling of warmth or heat
• Flushing or redness of the skin, especially on the face and neck
• Headache

Rare

• Change in vision
• Constipation
• Impaired vision
• Itching skin
• Lack or loss of strength
• Nausea
• Vomiting

In the U.S.

• Cardizem

Available Dosage Forms:

• Solution
• Powder for Solution

Therapeutic Class: Cardiovascular Agent

Pharmacologic Class: Calcium Channel Blocker

Chemical Class: Benzothiazepine

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. This medicine is given through a needle placed into one of your veins.