Description

Diltiazem is a calcium channel-blocker, which is used in veterinary medicine to treat hypertension and certain cardiac arrhythmias. This drug is approved in human medicine under the trade names Cardizem, Dilacor, or Tiazac. Diltiazem causes vasodilatation, decreases peripheral resistance, blood pressure, and cardiac afterload. Diltiazem also slows the sinus firing rate. At normal doses it is less likely to affect cardiac contractility than some other Ca channel blockers.

Diltiazem is used in dogs to treat hypertension and SVTs. It is frequently used with digoxin in the treatment or management of dogs with atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure. Diltiazem is used both in emergency situations for stabilization, and longer term for management of arrhythmia.

Diltiazem is used in cats to treat supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, hypertension, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It may reduce myocardial oxygen demand and prolong ventricular filling time. It is considered a good choice for heart-rate reduction in cats with atrial fibrillation. Although the treatment of pre-clinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is controversial, some clinicians use diltiazem in combination with other cardiac drugs in the asymptomatic cat.