INDICATIONS

Cardizem is used for treating supraventricular tachycardia, a rhythm disturbance of the heart. It is also used for controlling heart rate response to other rhythm disturbances, specifically, atrial fibrillation and flutter. Cardizem is a calcium channel blocker. It works by slowing the electrical conduction in the heart, slowing heart rate, and/or normalizing heart rhythm.

INSTRUCTIONS 

Use Cardizem as directed by your doctor.

• Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
• Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.
• Take Cardizem with a full glass of water. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking or opening the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
• It is important to use Cardizem regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.
• Do not stop taking this medication without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking Cardizem suddenly, your condition may become worse.
• If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine.
• If you miss a dose of Cardizem, use it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not use 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Cardizem.

STORAGE

Store Cardizem at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep Cardizem out of the reach of children and away from pets.

MORE INFO:

Active Ingredient: Diltiazem.

Do NOT use Cardizem if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Cardizem
• you have sick sinus syndrome or have second- or third-degree heart block and do not have a pacemaker, or very low blood pressure
• you have atrial fibrillation or flutter and a pre-excitation syndrome (extra conduction pathway in the heart), such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) or Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome (LGL)
• you are receiving injectable beta-blockers (eg, metoprolol) or erythromycin.

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Some medical conditions may interact with Cardizem. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have heart failure or have had a recent heart attack with lung congestion, heart block, low blood pressure, a very slow heart rate, or abnormal heart rhythm
• if you have kidney or liver disease.

Some medicines may interact with Cardizem. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Cimetidine or protease inhibitors (eg, indinavir) because they may increase the actions and side effects of Cardizem
• Rifampin because it may decrease the effectiveness of Cardizem
• Amiodarone, cisapride, digoxin, erythromycin, protease inhibitors (eg, indinavir), quinidine, tricyclic antidepressants (eg, desipramine), theophylline, or general anesthetics because toxic effects on the heart may occur
• Benzodiazepines (eg, midazolam), beta-blockers (eg, metoprolol), buspirone, carbamazepine, cilostazol, corticosteroids (eg, prednisone), cyclosporine, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (eg, atorvastatin), macrolide immunomodulators (eg, tacrolimus) because the risk of their side effects, some potentially life-threatening, may be increased by Cardizem.

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Cardizem may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.)