Cordarone Tablets Usage And Safety
Side Effects
Dermatologic: Solar dermatitis/photosensitivity. Neurologic: Malaise and fatigue, tremor/abnormal involuntary movements, lack of coordination, abnormal gait/ataxia, dizziness, paresthesias. Gastrointestinal: Constipation, anorexia. Ophthalmologic: Visual disturbances. Hepatic: Abnormal liver-function tests. Respiratory: Pulmonary inflammation or fibrosis .
Drug Interactions
Class I and III antiarrhythmics, lithium, certain phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, certain fluoroquinolone and macrolide antibiotics, IV pentamidine, and azole antifungals , digoxin, beta blockers, verapamil, diltiazem, clonidine , certain protease inhibitors, loratadine, cimetidine, trazodone) , HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
Indication
Amiodarone can be used to: • Treat uneven heartbeats where other medicines either have not worked or cannot be used • Treat an illness called Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. This is where your heart beats unusually fast • Treat other types of fast or uneven heartbeats known as “atrial flutter” or “atrial fibrillation”. Amiodarone Tablets are used only when other medicines can not be used.
When not to Use
Do not take if • You are allergic (hypersensitive) to iodine , amiodarone hydrochloride or any of the other ingredients . Signs of an allergic reaction include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue. • You have a slower than usual heartbeat (called ‘sinus bradycardia’) or an illness called ‘sinoatrial’ heart block • You have any other problems with your heartbeat and do not have a pacemaker fitted • You have ever had thyroid problems. Your doctor should test your thyroid before giving you this medicine .
Cordarone Tablets Warnings
Warning 1
In patients with implanted defibrillators or pacemakers, chronic administration of antiarrhythmic drugs may affect pacing or defibrillating thresholds. Therefore, at the inception of and during amiodarone treatment, pacing and defibrillation thresholds should be assessed.
Warning 2
Elevations of hepatic enzyme levels are seen frequently in patients exposed to this medicine and in most cases are asymptomatic. If the increase exceeds three times normal, or doubles in a patient with an elevated baseline, discontinuation of this medicine or dosage reduction should be considered.
Warning 3
Cases of optic neuropathy and/or optic neuritis, usually resulting in visual impairment, have been reported in patients treated with amiodarone. In some cases, visual impairment has progressed to permanent blindness .
