The usual dosage regimen of diltiazem (Tildiem) is 60 mg 3-4 times a day. A sustained-release formulation has been developed (Mono-Tildiem LP 300 mg) in order to allow a single daily administration. Two repeated dosing studies were performed in healthy volunteers. The absolute bioavailability of sustained-release diltiazem LP 300 mg was investigated using concomitant i.v. administration of 13C-labelled drug: absolute bioavailability of the "once a day" formulation was 35%. The second study compared sustained-release diltiazem LP 300 mg with the standard formulation of diltiazem. The results showed that the diltiazem plasma concentrations obtained after the LP formulation remained stable between 2 and 14 h after administration and were compatible with a once a day administration. Relative bioavailability of sustained-release diltiazem LP 300 mg was 79.3% compared with diltiazem. Therefore, a unitary dose of sustained-release diltiazem LP 300 mg was chosen as the dose equivalent to the daily dose administered with the standard diltiazem formulation.