Diltiazem is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure and angina (chest pain).

Angina is characterized by intense pain in the chest, back, and shoulders caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. More than 3 million Americans experience angina each year. While not life-threatening on its own accord, angina often portends a heart attack or stroke and is a sign that your body needs cardiovascular care.

High blood pressure is an equally serious, though far more common, condition in which blood flows too forcefully through vessels, placing you at greater risk of heart attack or stroke. Nearly half of all Americans suffer from elevated blood pressure, a condition often termed the “silent killer,” as it presents relatively few physical symptoms.

Like many blood pressure drugs, diltiazem is most effective when taken alongside changes to your lifestyle - such as improving your diet, increasing your exercise, and quitting smoking.

Diltiazem is used to treat angina and high blood pressure. It is most often prescribed to treat chronic stable angina. Like all forms of angina, this condition occurs when the heart does not receive sufficient blood to keep it oxygenated, leading to intense pain in the chest. Chronic stable angina, though, usually causes pain in predictable patterns that can be managed and mitigated with proper medication.

Diltiazem is also often prescribed to treat high blood pressure.

Diltiazem belongs to a family of drugs known as calcium-channel blockers. These drugs work by preventing calcium from entering the cells of your heart and blood vessels. Calcium forces the heart to beat harder, increasing your blood pressure.

Calcium channel blockers reverse this process, relaxing the heart and opening up the blood vessels. This allows blood to flow more easily through the body without putting too much pressure on your artery walls.

While there are a number of common side effects associated with diltiazem, it is important to remember that your doctor prescribed this medication because its ability to manage your chronic angina outweighs any adverse side effects it may cause.

Some common side effects you may experience include:

• Edema
• Headache
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Rash
• Asthenia

If these side effects become severe or do not go away, contact your doctor.

There are serious side effects associated with diltiazem. These may include:

• Difficulty breathing
  
• Swelling of the face and/ or extremities
  
• Skin rash
  
• Yellowing of skin and eyes
  
• Fatigue/ tiredness
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Stomach pain
  
• Nausea
  
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
  
  

This is not a complete list of diltiazem side effects. For more information on adverse conditions associated with diltiazem, please visit the National Institutes of Health’s DailyMed webpage.

Diltiazem is currently only available via prescription. This means the use of this drug must be authorized by a licensed health care provider.

Providers on Sesame can write a prescription – or refill an existing one – during a virtual or in-person visit. Depending on the medication, you can arrange for same-day pickup at a pharmacy near you. Book an online consultation with a real, licensed provider on Sesame today to determine whether or not diltiazem is right for you.

Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your health care provider. Providers on Sesame cannot prescribe controlled substances.

Yes! Talk to a provider on Sesame and get your online doctor prescription or refill ordered right away for fast and convenient pickup from a pharmacy of your choice.

Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your clinician.