diltiazem vs ivabradine
Side-by-side comparison of diltiazem and ivabradine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
Ivabradine : Concurrent use of diltiazem increases exposure to ivabradine and may exacerbate bradycardia and conduction disturbances. Avoid concomitant use of ivabradine and diltiazem.
Recommendation: Do not take these two medications at the same time.
Cardizem, Tiazac
Corlanor
Diltiazem is a medicine that helps lower high blood pressure and prevent chest pain. It belongs to a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers.
Ivabradine (Corlanor) is a medicine that helps lower the risk of needing to go to the hospital for worsening heart failure. It works by slowing down your heart rate.
Diltiazem is used to treat high blood pressure. It can be used alone or with other blood pressure medicines. Diltiazem also helps manage chronic stable angina (chest pain) and angina caused by spasms in the heart's blood vessels.
Ivabradine is used to lower the chance of hospitalization if your heart failure gets worse. It is for adults who have stable, long-term heart failure and a weak heart (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 35%). You must also have a resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute or higher and are either taking the highest dose of beta-blockers you can handle or cannot take beta-blockers at all.
Diltiazem works by relaxing blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure. It also reduces the heart's workload, which can prevent chest pain. This medicine blocks calcium from entering heart and blood vessel cells.
Ivabradine works by blocking certain channels in your heart called HCN channels. These channels control your heart's natural pacemaker. By blocking these channels, ivabradine slows down your heart rate.
- • Swelling in your ankles or feet
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Slow heart rate
- • Constipation
- • Slow heart rate
- • High blood pressure
- • Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)
- • Seeing bright flashes of light
- Shortness of breath 3,200
- Tiredness 2,637
- Feeling sick to your stomach 2,372
- Discomfort 2,364
- Feeling lightheaded 2,089
- Shortness of breath 459
- Low blood pressure 413
- Feeling lightheaded or unsteady 350
- Heart failure 324
- Feeling very tired 317
Diltiazem can interact with other heart medications. Tell your doctor if you take beta-blockers or digoxin. Using diltiazem with these drugs can cause heart problems. Your doctor may need to adjust your dosages.
Ivabradine can harm an unborn baby. If you are a woman who could get pregnant, use effective birth control while taking this medicine. This medicine can also cause a very slow heart rate. Your doctor will monitor your heart rate and adjust your dose as needed.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if diltiazem will harm your unborn baby. Diltiazem passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about breastfeeding while taking this medicine.
Ivabradine can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking ivabradine.
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How to Read This diltiazem vs ivabradine Comparison
diltiazem is classified in the Calcium Channel Blocker drug class, while ivabradine sits within the HCN Channel Blocker class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, diltiazem has 12,662 submissions while ivabradine has 1,863. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to diltiazem increases the amount of ivabradine in your body, which can slow your heart rate down to a dangerous level.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between diltiazem and ivabradine - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.