Cardizem vs. Lopressor

• Are Cardizem and Lopressor the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Cardizem?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Lopressor?
• What Is Cardizem?
• What Is Lopressor?
• What Drugs Interact with Cardizem?
• What Drugs Interact with Lopressor?
• How Should Cardizem Be Taken?
• How Should Lopressor Be Taken?

Cardizem (diltiazem hydrochloride) and Lopressor (metoprolol tartrate) are used to prevent chest pain (angina).

Cardizem may help to increase your ability to exercise and decrease how often you may get angina attacks.

Lopressor is also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart attacks.

Cardizem and Lopressor belong to different drug classes. Cardizem is a calcium channel blocker and Lopressor is a beta-blocker.

Common side effects of Cardizem include:

• dizziness,
• lightheadedness,
• weakness,
• tired feeling,
• nausea,
• upset stomach,
• flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling),
• sore throat,
• cough,
• stuffy nose, and
• headache.

Tell your doctor if you have unlikely but serious side effects of Cardizem including:

• fainting,
• slow/irregular/pounding/fast heartbeat,
• swelling of ankles or feet,
• shortness of breath,
• unusual tiredness,
• unexplained or sudden weight gain,
• mental/mood changes (such as depression, agitation), or
• unusual dreams.

Common side effects of Lopressor include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• dry mouth,
• gas,
• heartburn,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• dizziness,
• tiredness,
• depression,
• decreased sex drive, impotence,
• difficulty having an orgasm,
• headache,
• drowsiness,
• tiredness,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• anxiety,
• nervousness, and
• rash.

Serious side effects of Lopressor include

• wheezing,
• shortness of breath,
• swelling, or
• irregular rapid heartbeats.

Cardizem (diltiazem hydrochloride) is a calcium channel blocker used to prevent chest pain (angina). Cardizem may help to increase your ability to exercise and decrease how often you may get angina attacks.

Lopressor is a selective beta-adrenoreceptor blocking agent (beta-blocker) used to treat high blood presure (hypertension), angina, and heart attacks. Lopressor is available as a generic.

Cardizem may interact with amiodarone, digoxin, atazanavir, cimetidine, quinidine, St. John's wort, azole antifungals, macrolide antibiotics, rifamycins, buspirone, cyclosporine, sirolimus, statins, anti-seizure drugs, benzodiazepines, caffeine, pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, or other drugs that can raise heart rate. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Lopressor may interact with cimetidine, diabetes medications, heart medicines, MAO inhibitors, and medicine to treat psychiatric disorders.

Lopressor may also interact with clonidine, digoxin, ritonavir, terbinafine, diuretics (water pills), cold medicines, stimulant medicines, diet pills, anti-malaria medications, or medicines for asthma or other breathing disorders.

Dosage of Cardizem is individually adjusted. Starting with 30 mg four times daily, before meals and at bedtime, dosage is increased gradually (given in divided doses three or four times daily) at 1- to 2-day intervals until optimum response is obtained. The average optimum dosage range is 180 to 360 mg/day.

Lopressor USP is available as 50 and 100 mg strength tablets for oral administration and as (metoprolol tartrate) Injection, USP in 5 mg strength, in 5 ml ampoules for IV administration. Usual oral dosage is 100 mg per day in single or divided doses; IV begins with a 5 mg injection.