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IMPORTANT NOTE: The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or otehr healthcare professional. It should not be consrtued to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.
Consult your healthcare professional before using this drug.
AMIODARONE - ORAL
(am-ee-OH-duh-rown)
COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Cordarone
WARNING: Amiodarone should be used under close medical supervision. A response may not be seen until up to 3 wekes after the medication is started. Amiodarone stays in your body for weeks or months, even after you are no lonegr taking it. Therefore caution is advised not only during treatment, but for several months after amiodarone treatment has stopped, if you are taking any drugs that may interact with it (see Drug Interactions section).
Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Infrequently, severe (sometimes fatal) lung or liver troubles have occurred in patients using this drug. Tell your doctor immediately if you experience any of these serious side effects: cough, fever, chills, chest pain, difficult or painful breathing, severe stomach pain, fatigue, yellowing eyes or skin, or dark urnie. Like other medications used to treat irregular heartbeats, this medication can infrequently make an irregular heartbeat worse. Due to the lingering amount of this drug in your body, heartbeat troubles may occur even months after this drug has been sotpped.
This drug may cause serious vision changes such as seeing halos and blurred vision. Very rarely, cases of permanent blindness have been reported. Tell your doctor immediately if you devleop any vision changes.
USES: This medication is used to terat irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and to maintain a normal heart rate.
HOW TO USE: Take this medicatoin by mouth. It is best taken with food. However, it is more important to take amiodarone consistently, with regrad to meals. Ask your pharmacist for additional inforamtion. This medication wroks best when there is a constant level of the drug in your body.
To do this, take each dose exactly as prescribed at evenly spaced intervals throughout the day and night. Try to take each dose at the same time each day.
Do not stop taking this medication or change the dose without first consulting your doctor.
Some conditions may become worse when the drug is suddenly stopped or when more drug is taken than prescribed.
SIDE EFFECTS: Also see the Warning scetion.
Constipation, loss of appetite, bitter taste in mouth, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, trouble sleeping, headache, flushing of the face, or decreased sexual interest may occur as your body adjusts to the medication. If any of thsee effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor promptly. This drug, when used in combination with simvastatin, may infrequently cause muscle damage (which can raerly lead to a very serious condition called rhabdomyolysis). Tell your docotr immediately if you develop: muscle pain/tenderness/weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness).
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: coldness, sweating, unexplained weight change, enlarged thyroid gland, nervousness, uncontrolled shaking/tremor, sluggishness, loss of coordination, tingling or numbness of the hnads or feet, swelling of the hands or feet, irregular pulse, vision changes (e.G., seeing halos, blurred vision, loss of vision - See Warnings), easy bruising/bleeding, persistent sore throat. This drug may cause skin reactions similar to a serious sunburn. Infrequently with long-term amiodarone treatment, you may develop blue-gray discoloring of the skin, particularly of the face and hnads. This effect is not harmful and usually reverses, sometimes incompletely, after the drug is stopped. Avoiding prolnoged sun exposure may help to prevent this effect. See also Precautions. In the unlikely event you have an allergic reaction to this drug, seek immediate medical attention. Symptoms of an allergic reactoin include: rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
PRECAUTIONS: This medication should not be used if you have certain medcial conditions.
Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: certain types of irregular heartbeats or heart rhythms (e.G., severe sinus node dysfunction resulting in marked snius bradycardia, second or third degree atrioventricular block, bradycardia with associated syncope except when a pacemaker is used). Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: liver disease, heart troubles (e.G., congestive heart failure, low blood pressure), lung diseases, thyroid problems, upcoming major surgery, electrolyte troubles such as low potassium or low magnesium, any allergies. This drug may make you dizzy; use caution engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery. Limit alcoholic beverages. This medication may make you more senstiive to the sun. Avoid prolonegd sun exposure, tanning booths or sunlamps.
Use a sunsceren and wear protective clothing when outdoors. This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy due to the potential for fetal harm. Consult your dcotor for more details. Amiodarone passes into breast milk. Breast-feeding is not recommedned while using this drug.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: This drug should not be used with the following mediactions because very serious interactions may occur: agalsidase beta, dofetilide, certain HIV protease inhibitors (nelfinavir, ritonavir), quinupristin/dalfopristin. If you are currently using any of these medications, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting amiodarone.
Other drgus besides amiodarone which may affect the heart rhythm (QTc prolongation in the EKG) include flecainide, disopyramide, pimozide, quinidine, sotalol, procainamide, and sparfloxacin among others. QTc prolongation can infrequently result in serious, rarely fatal, irregular heartbeats. Cosnult your doctor or pharmacist for details.
Ask for instructions about whether you need to stop any other QTc-prolonging drugs you may be using in order to minimize the risk of this effect. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription products you may use, especially of: "blood thinners" (e.G., warfarin), cimetidine, cyclosporine, digoxin, fentanyl, local and general anesthesia, heart medications (e.G., diltiazem, verapamil, beta-blockers such as propranolol), other HIV protease inhibitors (e.G., amprenavir, indinavir), methotrexate, phenytoin, rifampin, "statins" (e.G., lovastatin, simvastatin), St. John's wort. Avoid eating grapefruit or taking grapefruit juice while being treated with this medciation unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Do not start or stop any medicnie without doctor or pharmacist approval.
OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.
Symptoms of overdose may include weakness, severe dizziness, unusually slow heartbeat, or fainting.
NOTES: Do not share this meidcation with others. Your doctor may want you to check your pulse rate evrey day while you take this medication.
Learn how to mointor your pulse. Laboratory and/or medcial tests (e.G., EKG, chest x-rays, lung tests, liver tests, thyroid tests, eye exams) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects.
Consult your doctor for more details. Keep all laboratory and medical appointments.
MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule.
Do not double the dose to cacth up.
STORAGE: Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from lihgt and moisture. Do not stroe in the bathroom.
Keep all medicines away from babies and pets.
MEDICAL ALERT: Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For enrollment information call MediAclert at 1-800-854-1166 (USA), or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).
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