Have you suddenly started to feel your chest pounding uncontrollably? Or does your heart beat irregularly and feel like it's beating out of sync? When you go to the hospital in an emergency like this, doctors use a special medicine to quickly control your heart rate. One such medicine is Diltiazem. This is usually given as an injection into a vein. So, today we will talk about this Diltiazem Injection.
What kind of medicine is Diltiazem?
Simply put, Diltiazem is a medication that treats a fast or irregular heartbeat, a condition medically known as arrhythmia .
This belongs to a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers . Now you may be wondering what that is. Calcium is essential for our heart muscle cells to contract, that is, to beat. Diltiazem works by slightly controlling the entry of calcium into the heart muscle cells and blood vessels.
Imagine, a fast heart rate means that this calcium process is happening very quickly. When this medicine is given, that speed is slowed down, the heart beats a little faster, and it also starts to happen regularly. Due to this, the workload on the heart is reduced, and the heart gets a lot of relief. Sometimes the doctor may use this medicine for other reasons as well.
Things you need to tell your doctor before giving you this medicine
This is very important. Before you decide to give this medicine to yourself, it is important to tell your doctor or medical team the following information.
Even the smallest piece of information you provide can be very important for your safety. So don't hide anything.
- Other medical conditions you have: It is especially important to mention if you have had a heart attack before, other heart conditions, other heart rhythm disorders, or low blood pressure .
- Allergies: Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to Diltiazem or any other medicines, foods, or dyes.
- Pregnancy: If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or have any doubts about it, tell your doctor before taking the medicine.
- If you are a breastfeeding mother: If you are a breastfeeding mother, you should definitely tell your doctor.
How does this medicine get into the body?
This is not a medicine that you can take home from the pharmacy. This is an intravenous injection.This means that it is only given in a hospital or clinic, under the supervision of a doctor or trained nursing staff. They will carefully monitor your condition and provide this treatment.
What to do if you overdose?
Since this is given under medical supervision in a hospital, the chance of a missed dose is very low. However, if you think that this has happened, inform the medical staff immediately. In any emergency, it is most important to go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) . Also, if you suspect poisoning due to a medicine, you can call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital for advice.
This medicine is for your use only. It is strictly forbidden to share or use it with anyone else outside of the hospital.
What other interactions can occur with the medication?
Some medications, herbal remedies, or foods can interact with Diltiazem and cause dangerous side effects, so it's important to tell your doctor about everything you're taking.
| Possible interactions with Diltiazem | |
|---|---|
| Do not take Diltiazem with: | |
| Cisapride | Pimozide |
| Hawthorn (herbal medicine) | Ranolazine |
| Red yeast rice | |
| You should be extra careful when taking Diltiazem with: | |
| Carbamazepine | Cimetidine |
| Cyclosporine | Digoxin |
| Local/General anesthetics | Medications for high blood pressure or other heart conditions |
This list is not complete. Therefore, tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, herbs, and supplements you are taking. Be sure to tell your doctor if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use other drugs.
What are the expected side effects?
Like any medicine, Diltiazem can cause some side effects. Some are common, while others can be serious.
| Type of side effect | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Notify the medical team immediately if these symptoms appear: | |
| Allergic reactions | Skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. |
| Heart failure | Difficulty breathing, swelling of the ankles, feet or hands, sudden weight gain, extreme fatigue. |
| Slow heartbeat | Dizziness, fainting, difficulty breathing, unusual weakness. |
| Liver injury | Pain in the upper right abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stools, dark yellow or brown urine, and yellowing of the skin or eyes. |
| Low blood pressure | Dizziness, fainting, blurred vision. |
| Serious skin reactions | Redness, blistering, or peeling of the skin, including in the mouth. |
| Although usually not serious, tell your doctor if they persist or are bothersome: | |
| Constipation | |
| Facial flushing | |
| Headache | |
Other side effects not listed in this list may occur, so don't be afraid to ask your doctor if you notice anything unusual.
Take-Home Message
- Diltiazem is a special medicine that is injected into a vein in a hospital to control a fast or irregular heartbeat.
- Before taking this medication, be sure to tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, allergies, other medications you are taking, and whether you are pregnant/breastfeeding.
- This is a treatment that is only given under medical supervision, and is not a medicine for home use.
- If serious side effects (difficulty breathing, severe dizziness, skin blistering) occur, notify medical staff immediately.
- If you have any questions about this medicine, feel free to ask the doctor or nursing staff treating you.
👩🏽⚕️ Additional questions (FAQs)
💬 What is Diltiazem Injection used for?
Although this is a calcium channel blocker that controls high blood pressure, this injection is given intravenously (IV) in a hospital (emergency department) to save the patient from 'sudden loss of rhythm in the upper chambers of the heart (Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter)', when the heart starts beating abnormally fast (more than 150 beats per minute), and the fatal rate is reduced within minutes.
💬 How does this injection (Diltiazem) slow down the heart rate when given intravenously?
The heart sends electrical signals from a place called the 'AV Node / SA Node'. For these signals to go down, 'Calcium' must enter from there. When this drug enters the blood, the 'calcium gates' in the heart's electrical transmission center (AV Node) are completely closed (blocked). Then the speed at which the electricity goes down directly and the heart rate drops immediately to normal levels.
💬 Even if the heart rate slows down, what is the most dangerous risk when giving this injection?
The biggest danger with this is that it lowers blood pressure! In some patients, as soon as this injection is given intravenously (IV), the patient's blood pressure suddenly drops to zero (Severe Hypotension) and they lose consciousness, or the heart becomes quieter than expected and the heart stops completely (Heart block / Bradycardia), which is potentially dangerous! (Therefore, EKG and blood pressure should be continuously monitored).
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