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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Diltiazem hydrochloride vs Nicorandil

National NHS prescribing compared (Prescription Cost Analysis)
Data updated May 2026

Diltiazem hydrochloride was dispensed 2.4× as often as Nicorandil in May 2026 — 153,678 items versus 65,154 in England.

153,678items

Diltiazem hydrochloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

65,154items

Nicorandil · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Diltiazem hydrochloride versus Nicorandil: national items dispensed by month

▬ Diltiazem hydrochloride   ·   ╌ Nicorandil

0 103k 207k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Nicorandil 153,678 Jan 2021: 198k Feb 2021: 186k Mar 2021: 207k Apr 2021: 200k May 2021: 190k Jun 2021: 201k Jul 2021: 200k Aug 2021: 191k Sep 2021: 198k Oct 2021: 188k Nov 2021: 195k Dec 2021: 204k Jan 2022: 188k Feb 2022: 178k Mar 2022: 197k Apr 2022: 189k May 2022: 195k Jun 2022: 187k Jul 2022: 189k Aug 2022: 192k Sep 2022: 187k Oct 2022: 186k Nov 2022: 189k Dec 2022: 189k Jan 2023: 185k Feb 2023: 171k Mar 2023: 192k Apr 2023: 171k May 2023: 182k Jun 2023: 183k Jul 2023: 177k Aug 2023: 181k Sep 2023: 176k Oct 2023: 178k Nov 2023: 178k Dec 2023: 177k Jan 2024: 179k Feb 2024: 167k Mar 2024: 170k Apr 2024: 175k May 2024: 177k Jun 2024: 165k Jul 2024: 179k Aug 2024: 173k Sep 2024: 165k Oct 2024: 175k Nov 2024: 167k Dec 2024: 174k Jan 2025: 174k Feb 2025: 156k Mar 2025: 164k Apr 2025: 164k May 2025: 171k Jun 2025: 163k Jul 2025: 172k Aug 2025: 159k Sep 2025: 166k Oct 2025: 169k Nov 2025: 155k Dec 2025: 171k Jan 2026: 162k Feb 2026: 148k Mar 2026: 162k Apr 2026: 158k May 2026: 154k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Diltiazem hydrochloride versus Nicorandil, May 2026
Measure Diltiazem hydrochloride Nicorandil
Items, May 2026 153,678 65,154
Items, last 12 months 1,938,456 838,378
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £1,267,558 £193,134

See the full profile for Diltiazem hydrochloride or Nicorandil.