Cordarone useage

[Julie50]

My cardiologist just rx'ed me with cordarone,400 mgs BID and two other meds that have severe warnings about being in hospital and monotored during loading of this medication--he has me taking it at home--I live 26 minutes from the nearest hospital amd feel this is not a good situation should I have an adverse reaction and that he is superceding the warning by the manufacturer and medical community--Am I being too overly cautious and the literature states it the drug of last choice to treat ventricular arrhythemia not what I have been diagnosed with- a fib--Please advise as to should I start the loading procedure at home and take a big chance of having a terminal problem or try and talk my doctor into using some other type of med with less severe side effects--thank you

[Flycaster305]

From what I know about Amiodarone (Cordarone) it isn't a question if you have a side effect, but what side effect and how strong it will be.  I took it to control A-fib, and developed an eye discomfort within a week.  It is, I think, very effective at controlling A-fib, but it needs monitoring.  I think the usual side effect is breathing/lung issues.  I took the drug in the ICU of the Cardiac wing of the hospital.  The drug was discontinued, and I had an ablation.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hi,  cordarone (amiodarone HCl) is a member of a class of anti arrhythmic drugs. Atrial fibrillation can provoke ventricular fibrillation. You doctor would have checked the rhythmic patterns before prescribing cordarone. Please check with him again regarding initiation of therapy with cordarone at home. Regards.