Is Diltiazem safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Diltiazem. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. In one patient who was 14 days postpartum, peak milk levels of 190 to 230 mcg/L occurred about 2 hours after the dose during an oral regimen of 60 mg four times daily. The levels and time course of the drug in milk closely paralleled serum levels.[ 1 ] Using the peak milk level data from this patient, an exclusively breastfed infant would receive an estimated maximum of 0.9% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage. Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternatives LactMed lists
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Diltiazem is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: NIH LactMed (National Library of Medicine).
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.