diltiazem vs metoprolol
Side-by-side comparison of diltiazem and metoprolol. 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
( 7.3 ) Concomitant use of glycosides, clonidine, and diltiazem and verapamil with beta-blockers can increase the risk of bradycardia. 7.4 Negative Chronotropes Digitalis glycosides, clonidine, diltiazem and verapamil slow atrioventricular conduction and decrease heart rate.
Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor your heart rate and pulse closely while you are taking both medications. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel dizzy, weak, or faint.
Cardizem, Tiazac
Lopressor, Toprol-XL
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.
Metoprolol is a beta-blocker medicine. It can lower blood pressure, reduce chest pain, and improve survival after a heart attack.
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.
Metoprolol treats high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks. It also treats chest pain called angina. After a heart attack, it can help you live longer.
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.
Metoprolol blocks the effects of adrenaline on the heart. This makes the heart beat slower and with less force. As a result, blood pressure is lowered and the heart does not need as much oxygen.
- • Swelling in your ankles or feet
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Slow heart rate
- • Constipation
- • Tiredness
- • Dizziness
- • Depression
- • Shortness of breath
- • Slow heart rate
- Shortness of breath 3,200
- Tiredness 2,637
- Feeling sick to your stomach 2,372
- Discomfort 2,364
- Feeling lightheaded 2,089
- Tiredness 15,963
- Shortness of breath 14,131
- Diarrhea 13,634
- Feeling sick to your stomach 13,392
- Feeling lightheaded 11,697
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.
Stopping metoprolol suddenly can make chest pain worse or cause a heart attack. If you have heart failure, it could get worse. If you have asthma or other lung problems, avoid beta-blockers if possible.
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.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Metoprolol can cross the placenta, and may cause low blood pressure, low blood sugar, and a slow heart rate in the newborn. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.
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How to Read This diltiazem vs metoprolol Comparison
diltiazem is classified in the Calcium Channel Blocker drug class, while metoprolol sits within the Beta-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 metoprolol has 68,817. 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 both of these medicines slow down your heart rate and the electrical signals that tell your heart when to beat. taking them together can make your heart beat much slower than it should.. 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 metoprolol - 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.