HOW TO USE: Take Diltiazem Hci tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. Take Diltiazem Hci tablets on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after food. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often then directed. Do not stop taking except on your prescriber's advice.

Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

SIDE EFFECTS: Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible: confusion, mental depression; fainting spells, lightheadedness; redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth; skin rash, itching; slow heartbeat, irregular heartbeat; swelling of the feet and ankles; unusual weakness or tiredness; unusual bleeding or bruising, pinpoint red spots on the skin.

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome): constipation or diarrhea; difficulty sleeping; drowsiness or dizziness; facial flushing; headache; nausea, vomiting; sexual dysfunction.

PRECAUTIONS: Check your blood pressure and pulse rate regularly; this is important while you are taking Diltiazem Hci. Ask your prescriber or health care professional what your blood pressure and pulse rate should be and when you should contact him or her.

You may feel dizzy or lightheaded. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how Diltiazem Hci affects you. To reduce the risk of dizzy or fainting spells, do not sit or stand up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. Avoid alcoholic drinks; they can make you more dizzy or increase flushing and rapid heartbeats.

If you are going to have surgery, tell your prescriber or health care professional that you are taking Diltiazem Hci.

Do not suddenly stop taking Diltiazem Hci. Ask your prescriber or health care professional how to gradually reduce the dose.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: Do not take Diltiazem Hci with any of the following: alfuzosin; astemizole; cisapride; grapefruit juice; pimozide; terfenadine.

Diltiazem Hci may also interact with the following medications: alosetron; antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen); aspirin; barbiturates such as phenobarbital; bosentan; certain antibiotics (clarithromycin, erythromycin, norfloxacin, telithromycin, troleandomycin); certain medicines used to treat cancer; certain medicines to treat migraine (ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, methysergide); cevimeline; cilostazol; cimetidine; clonidine; cyclosporine; fentanyl; galantamine; herbal or dietary supplements such as ginger, gingko biloba, ginseng, hawthorn, ma huang (ephedra), melatonin, St. John's wort, went yeast; lithium; local anesthetics or general anesthetics; medicines for anxiety or difficulty sleeping (examples: alprazolam, buspirone, midazolam, triazolam); medicines for depression or mental problems (imipramine, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, nefazodone, ziprasidone); medicines for fungal infections (fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole); medicines for heart-rhythm problems (amiodarone, digoxin, disopyramide, dofetilide, encainide, flecainide, moricizine, procainamide, quinidine); medicines for high cholesterol (atorvastatin, cerivastatin, colesevelam, lovastatin, simvastatin); medicines for high blood pressure or heart problems; medicines for HIV infection or AIDS; medicines for prostate problems; medicines for seizures (carbamazepine, clonazepam, ethosuximide, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, zonisamide); methadone; quinine; rifampin, rifabutin, or rifapentine; sildenafil; sirolimus; tacrolimus; theophylline or aminophylline; water pills (diuretics); yohimbine; zafirlukast; zileuton.

NOTES: Prescriber needs to know if you have any of these conditions: heart problems, low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat; liver disease; previous heart attack; an unusual or allergic reaction to Diltiazem Hci, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives; pregnant or trying to get pregnant; breast-feeding.

MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

STORAGE: Keep out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open.

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Protect from humidity. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.