Diltiazem is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), angina (chest pain), and to slow unusually fast heartbeats.

Diltiazem belongs to a class of medications called calcium channel blockers. These medications block the transport of calcium into the smooth muscle cells lining the coronary arteries and other arteries of the body. Since calcium is important in muscle contraction, blocking calcium transport relaxes artery muscles and dilates coronary arteries and other arteries of the body.

By relaxing coronary arteries, diltiazem is useful in treating and preventing chest pain (angina) resulting from coronary artery spasm. The effect of relaxing the muscles lining the arteries of the rest of the body results in a lowering of blood pressure, which reduces the burden on the heart as it pumps blood to the body. So too, reducing heart burden lessens the heart muscle's demand for oxygen, and further helps to prevent angina in patients with coronary artery disease.

 

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