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Suggest Treatment For Side Effects Of Diltiazem
Question: I have been taking Dilatiazem 360 mg daily for 3 years. Lately I am experiencing pounding heart and headache in the mornings about 2 hours after taking the medication.
Brief Answer:
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Your symptoms could be related to an adverse effect of Diltiazem.
Anyway, considering the fact that you have been using this drug for such a long time without any adverse effects, I would recommend investigate for other possible causes that may trigger this symptomatology.
So, it is important consulting with your attending physician for a careful physical exam and some tests:
- a resting ECG and a cardiac ultrasound
- complete blood count for anemia
- blood electrolytes including calcium levels for electrolyte imbalance
- thyroid hormone levels.
An ambulatory 23-48 hours ECG monitoring would be necessary to examine your heart rhythm trends during the day and exclude possible cardiac arrhythmia.
You may need to make some changes to your current therapy.
Meanwhile, I recommend you to closely monitor your blood pressure values. Blood pressure fluctuations can also mimic this clinical situation.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask me again whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Your symptoms could be related to an adverse effect of Diltiazem.
Anyway, considering the fact that you have been using this drug for such a long time without any adverse effects, I would recommend investigate for other possible causes that may trigger this symptomatology.
So, it is important consulting with your attending physician for a careful physical exam and some tests:
- a resting ECG and a cardiac ultrasound
- complete blood count for anemia
- blood electrolytes including calcium levels for electrolyte imbalance
- thyroid hormone levels.
An ambulatory 23-48 hours ECG monitoring would be necessary to examine your heart rhythm trends during the day and exclude possible cardiac arrhythmia.
You may need to make some changes to your current therapy.
Meanwhile, I recommend you to closely monitor your blood pressure values. Blood pressure fluctuations can also mimic this clinical situation.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask me again whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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