When should I take CARDIZEM LA?
24-hour blood pressure management whether or not you take your CARDIZEM LA in the evening or the morning.2 Since it can be taken in the morning or evening without regard to meals, it easily fits into your schedule.1
Whether the time of day that you take blood pressure medicines, such as CARDIZEM LA, impacts the beneficial clinical effect of antihypertensive therapy is not known. Your doctor will instruct you to take CARDIZEM LA in the morning or the evening so that it best meets the needs of your lifestyle and fits into your sleep/wake cycle.
Ask your doctor if CARDIZEM LA is right for you.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
CARDIZEM LA is indicated for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure) and for the management of chronic stable angina (chest pain).
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Patients with abnormal heart rhythms due to sick sinus syndrome, or very slow heartbeats as a result of severe heart block, except in the presence of a functioning ventricular pacemaker, low blood pressure (less than 90 mm Hg systolic), hypersensitivity to the drug, and history of heart attack, and lung congestion shown by x-ray should not take CARDIZEM LA. Patients taking beta-blockers or digitalis should consult a physician before taking the drug. Rare cases of acute liver injury have been reported.
If you are prescribed with 540 mg/day of CARDIZEM LA, please make sure that you talk to your doctor about any abnormal heartbeat related conditions.
Also, tell your doctor about any other medicines you are taking, because of potential serious side effects as a result of drug interactions, especially if you have kidney or liver impairment.
In clinical trials of patients with high blood pressure the most common side effects reported were lower-limb swelling, sinus congestion, and rash.
In clinical trials of patients with chronic stable angina, the most common adverse events were lower-limb swelling, dizziness, fatigue (feeling tired), bradycardia (slow heart beats), and primary heart block.
References:
1. CARDIZEM LA Prescribing Information. Abbott Laboratories.
2. Glasser SP, Neutel JM, Gana TJ, Albert KS. Efficacy and safety of a once daily graded-release diltiazem formulation in essential hypertension.
Am J Hypertens. 2003;16:51-58.
