amiodarone

Amiodarone is for use only in life-threatening situations. This medication has the potential to cause side effects that could be fatal, and you will receive your first few doses in a hospital setting.

You may continue to have side effects from amiodarone after you stop taking it. It could take up to several months for the medicine to completely clear from your body.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to amiodarone or iodine, or if you have:

• certain heart conditions, especially "AV block” (unless you have a pacemaker); or

• a history of slow heart beats that have caused you to faint.

Before taking amiodarone, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• asthma or another lung disorder;

• liver disease;

• vision problems;

• high or low blood pressure;

• a thyroid disorder; or

• an electrolyte imbalance (such as low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood).

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use amiodarone, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not use amiodarone without your doctor’s consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication.

Amiodarone can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

You will receive your first few doses of amiodarone in a hospital setting where your heart can be monitored in case the medication causes serious side effects.

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Take this medicine with a full glass of water.

You may take amiodarone with or without food but take it the same way every time.

It is important to use amiodarone regularly to get the most benefit. Keep using this medication even if you feel fine or have no symptoms. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.

To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your thyroid and liver function may also need to be tested, and you may need eye exams and chest x-rays. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

If you need to have any type of surgery (including laser eye surgery), tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using amiodarone. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

This medication can cause you to have unusual results with certain thyroid tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using amiodarone.

Store amiodarone at room temperature away from heat, moisture, and light.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• a new or a worsening irregular heartbeat pattern;

• fast, slow, or pounding heartbeats;

• wheezing, cough, chest tightness, trouble breathing;

• blurred vision, headache or pain behind your eyes, sometimes with vomiting;

• feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion, swelling, rapid weight gain;

• weight loss, thinning hair, feeling too hot or too cold, increased sweating, irregular menstrual periods, swelling in your neck (goiter);

• feeling nervous, restless, irritable, depressed, or unable to concentrate;

• tremor or restless muscle movements; or

• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may also occur, such as:

• numbness, burning, pain, or tingly feeling;

• feeling dizzy or tired;

• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, loss of appetite;

• sleep problems (insomnia);

• weakness, lack of coordination;

• loss of interest in sex; or

• warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Amiodarone is for use only in life-threatening situations. This medication has the potential to cause side effects that could be fatal, and you will receive your first few doses in a hospital setting.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to amiodarone or iodine, or if you have certain heart conditions such as "AV block,” or a history of slow heart beats.

Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. It could cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.

To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your thyroid and liver function may also need to be tested, and you may need eye exams and chest x-rays. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

You may continue to have side effects from amiodarone after you stop taking it. It could take up to several months for the medicine to completely clear from your body.

Amiodarone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with amiodarone and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

Avoid exposure to sunlight or artificial UV rays (sunlamps or tanning beds). Amiodarone can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight and sunburn may result. Use a sunscreen (minimum SPF 15) and wear protective clothing if you must be out in the sun.

There are many other medicines that can cause serious medical problems if you take them together with amiodarone. Before taking amiodarone, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• clopidogrel (Plavix);

• cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);

• digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);

• disopyramide (Norpace), or other heart rhythm medications; or

• fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora);

• loratadine (Alavert, Claritin);

• simvastatin (Zocor);

• trazodone (Desyrel);

• warfarin (Coumadin);

• antibiotics such as azithromycin (Zithromax), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E-Mycin, Ery-Tab), gatifloxaxin (Tequin), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), levofloxacin (Levaquin), ofloxacin (Floxin), or trovafloxacin (Trovan);

• a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), and others;

• a calcium channel blocker such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Tiazac, Cartia, Cardizem), felodipine (Plendil), nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), verapamil (Covera), and others; or

• a diuretic (water pill) such as amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Lopressor, Vasoretic, Zestoretic), indapamide (Lozol), spironolactone (Aldactazide, Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), and others.

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to take amiodarone, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of an amiodarone overdose may include weakness, slow heart rate, feeling light-headed, or fainting.