Sotalol

Are there any long term side effects from being on an antiarrhythmic medication for many many years?  I have been told I will probabl;y need to stay on Sotalol or some form of antiarrhythmic for the rest of my life.  I am currently in my 40's.  I have already had 2 EP studies/ ablations. Thank you for your time.

[CCF-M.D.-CRC]

Dear neener,

For most drugs there are no long-term side effects other than the ones that occur also with the short term.  There are some notable exceptions to this rule.  For example amiodarone, another antiarrhythmic drug, can cause cataracts with long term use.  Sotalol falls into the former class and is generally considered safe for long-term use.