Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: CARDIZEM LA versus TIAZAC.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: CARDIZEM LA versus TIAZAC.
CARDIZEM LA vs TIAZAC
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Cardizem LA (diltiazem) is a calcium channel blocker that inhibits calcium ion influx across cardiac and smooth muscle cells during depolarization, leading to negative inotropic, chronotropic, and dromotropic effects. It dilates coronary and peripheral arteries, reducing systemic vascular resistance and myocardial oxygen demand.
Diltiazem, a benzothiazepine calcium channel blocker, inhibits calcium ion influx across cardiac and vascular smooth muscle cell membranes, resulting in coronary vasodilation, peripheral vasodilation, decreased myocardial contractility, and decreased AV nodal conduction velocity.
Oral, 180-360 mg once daily; initiate at 180 mg once daily, titrate to 240 mg, then 300 mg, then 360 mg once daily as needed.
Oral: 120-360 mg once daily; maximum 540 mg daily.
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal elimination half-life: 5-8 hours after oral administration. For extended-release formulations, the half-life is similar but the prolonged absorption phase results in sustained plasma concentrations.
Terminal elimination half-life is 5-7 hours for immediate-release; for TIAZAC (extended-release), effective half-life is approximately 6-9 hours due to prolonged absorption
Urine (2-4% unchanged, ~40% as metabolites); bile/feces (major route, ~60% as metabolites).
Renal (2-4% unchanged, 60% as inactive metabolites); Fecal (30%); Biliary (minor)
Category C
Category C
Calcium Channel Blocker
Calcium Channel Blocker