What does amiodarone do to the heart?
Amiodarone (Cordarone) is used to treat and prevent an irregular heartbeat. It slows down nerve activity in the heart and relaxes an overactive heart.
What are side effects of amiodarone?
More common
- Cough.
- dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting.
- fever (slight)
- numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes.
- painful breathing.
- sensitivity of the skin to sunlight.
- trembling or shaking of the hands.
- trouble with walking.
What is the action of amiodarone?
It is used to restore normal heart rhythm and maintain a regular, steady heartbeat. Amiodarone is known as an anti-arrhythmic drug. It works by blocking certain electrical signals in the heart that can cause an irregular heartbeat.
Does amiodarone raise blood pressure?
In addition to being an antiarrhythmic medication, amiodarone also causes blood vessels to dilate (enlarge). This effect can result in a drop in blood pressure.
Why is amiodarone so bad?
HEART: Amiodarone can cause slow heart rhythm disorders such as slowing of the sinus rate and AV block. You may feel fatigued, lethargic, have poor exercise tolerance, and may experience dizziness and fainting.
How bad is amiodarone?
This medication has the risk of serious side effects. These include serious lung problems, liver problems, and a worsening of your irregular heart rate. These problems can be fatal. If you need to be treated with amiodarone for an irregular heart rate, you’ll need to be admitted into the hospital to get the first dose.
What are the worst side effects of amiodarone?
How safe is amiodarone?
Amiodarone may cause toxic side effects to your lungs and may even be fatal. For people with liver disease. Use amiodarone with caution if you have liver disease, such as cirrhosis or liver damage. These conditions may cause amiodarone to build up in your body and be toxic to your liver.
What are the long term side effects of amiodarone?
Amiodarone has been associated with multiple systemic adverse effects, including bradycardia, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, pulmonary toxicity, ocular deposits, and liver function derangements.
How dangerous a drug is amiodarone?
Amiodarone may cause a condition that affects the heart rhythm (QT prolongation). QT prolongation can rarely cause serious (rarely fatal) fast/irregular heartbeat and other symptoms (such as severe dizziness, fainting) that need medical attention right away.
What should I avoid while taking amiodarone?
Amiodarone may be taken with or without food but should be taken at the same way each time. You should avoid consuming grapefruits and grapefruit juice while taking amiodarone. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
Is dronedarone better than amiodarone?
In clinical trials, dronedarone was found to be better than amiodarone in terms of having a relatively quicker and short half-life, reduced lipophilicity, and negligible non-cardiovascular toxicity. It is preferred for the long term therapy of AF or flutter in comparison to any other antiarrhythmic drug because of its safety and efficacy.
Is amiodarone a narcotic?
Amiodarone is a potent antiarrhythmic agent that is used to treat ventricular arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation. The drug prevents the recurrence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and produces a modest reduction of sudden deaths in high-risk patients.