People who are on a widely prescribed drug have been advised to “call 111” should they notice particular symptoms. These “serious” adverse reactions require prompt medical attention.
According to the NHS website, diltiazem also serves to prevent chest pain caused by angina, reduce the frequency of attacks in Raynaud’s phenomenon, and help heal anal fissures.
However, as with all pharmaceutical treatments, diltiazem may trigger adverse reactions, though these do not affect everyone. The NHS identifies several “common” side effects associated with diltiazem usage.
These manifest in more than one in 100 patients. The NHS stated: “They are usually mild and will not last long. There are things you can do to help cope with them.”
- Swollen hands, ankles or feet
- Headaches
- Feeling dizzy and light-headed
- Feeling tired, weak and generally unwell
- Feeling hot (flushing) and redness of the skin
- Itching or burning on the skin where you use the cream or ointment
- Stomach pain
- Indigestion
- Constipation
The advice continued: “Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.”
Serious side effects
However, diltiazem can trigger some “serious side effects”. These occur in fewer than one in 10,000 individuals.
The NHS advises that you should “stop taking diltiazem and call a doctor or call 111 now” if:
- You experience severe stomach pain
- The whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin – this could indicate liver problems
- Your heartbeat becomes noticeable (palpitations)
Additionally, you should immediately dial 999 or head to A&E if you suffer from chest pain that persists for more than a few minutes or is new or worsens if you already have angina. This could potentially signal a heart attack and requires immediate medical attention.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
