diltiazem vs ranolazine
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Side-by-side comparison of diltiazem and ranolazine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Moderate CYP3A inhibitors (e.g., diltiazem, verapamil, erythromycin): Limit ranolazine to 500 mg twice daily. Moderate CYP3A Inhibitors Limit the dose of ranolazine to 500 mg twice daily in patients on moderate CYP3A inhibitors, including diltiazem, verapamil, erythromycin, fluconazole, and grapefruit juice or grapefruit-containing products [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) , Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ].
Cardizem, Tiazac
Ranexa
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.
Ranolazine extended-release tablets help treat chronic angina (chest pain). It can be used with other heart medicines.
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.
Ranolazine is used to treat chronic angina, which is chest pain that keeps coming back. It can help you have fewer angina episodes. You can take this medicine with other drugs like beta-blockers or nitrates.
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.
Ranolazine works by affecting the sodium channels in your heart cells. This helps to improve blood flow to your heart. It reduces the amount of calcium in your heart, which can help prevent angina.
- • Swelling in your ankles or feet
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Slow heart rate
- • Constipation
- • Dizziness
- • Headache
- • Constipation
- • Nausea
- Dyspnoea 3,202
- Fatigue 2,638
- Nausea 2,372
- Pain 2,365
- Dizziness 2,091
- Death 816
- Myocardial Infarction 640
- Chest Pain 605
- Angina Pectoris 594
- Stent Placement 582
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.
Ranolazine can cause changes in your heart's electrical activity (QT prolongation). If you have kidney problems, your doctor should check your kidney function. If you develop kidney failure, stop taking ranolazine.
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.
It is not known if ranolazine can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if ranolazine passes into breast milk. Discuss with your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This diltiazem vs ranolazine Comparison
diltiazem is classified in the Calcium Channel Blocker drug class, while ranolazine sits within the Late Sodium Current Inhibitor (Antianginal) 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 12,668 submissions while ranolazine has 3,237. 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 minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to diltiazem slows down the body's ability to process ranolazine, which can cause the drug to build up to higher levels.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for diltiazem or ranolazine.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.