Serum diltiazem concentrations were evaluated following either 30 mg or 60 mg of an extended-release diltiazem administered orally once daily to 13 cats.
Sequential blood samples were obtained over 24 hours. Both dosages usually resulted in elevated serum concentrations of >200 ng/mL at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours.
The 30-mg dosage was sometimes associated with low serum concentrations of <50 ng/mL at 18 and 24 hours.
The 60-mg dosage (9.3 to 14.8 mg/kg) was associated with lethargy, gastrointestinal disturbances, and weight loss in nine (36%) of 25 client-owned cats.
Gastrointestinal disturbances were recognized within 1 week, and weight loss was detected after 2 to 6 months of treatment.
Source: Michelle Wall, Clay A. Calvert, Sherry L. Sanderson, Andrea Leonhardt, Corrie Barker, Tiffany K. Fallaw (2005): Evaluation of Extended-Release Diltiazem Once Daily for Cats With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. In: Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 41:98-103 (2005)
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